Forever Yours
by Pen to Paper Writer
Summary: Navigating the dating world after her breakup Kate decides to sit back and take life easy for a change. No commitments, no pressure, and of course no man and that's fine with her. Rick had been stripped of everything he had and he's okay with that. He made peace with his ex-wife Gina and all he wants to do is vegetate in his loft. Dating is the furthest thing from his mind.
1. Chapter 1

She sat at the kitchen table wondering how she was roped into all of this. Her father is practically egging all of them on. And she can't believe that this is what it's come to.

"Katie we're only looking out for your best interest. Call it an intervention if you will. We have your best friend from high school Maddie, we have your best friend from work Lanie, and we have two of your co-workers here as well." Her dad pointed to each of them as he named them.

Kate looks over at each of them and there are pictures in their hands of people who they think would be a good partner for her to date. It's not that she doesn't like the fact that they all care about her, it's the way they're going about it. She looks at the pictures that they have with them and that she can't see dating any of these men. Her last relationship lasted about a year and it was comfortable between the both of them. Neither of them wanted a commitment anything more than just being together and she was fine with that. It was a good friend with benefits relationship. But when he wanted more and she didn't, the relationship just imploded from there. Since that time, she's been single and a little miserable. It's been about eight months since she's done anything to consider dating. And now she can understand why they're all here, at her apartment on a Wednesday afternoon after work. She wishes her mother was here because then she would know what to do about the situation she's currently in. If she were she'd give her sound advice, it's what she misses the most about her mother's death.

"Listen, guys, it's not that I don't like you caring about my love life but there's no need for you to set me up with any of these people."

"Kate my guy here," Lanie says as she projects the picture towards her face "is in this year's FDNY calendar."

"That's nothing," Esposito says. "My guy here was a model for Vogue. Look at what a catch this guy is! His abs are so tight!"

Maddie who has seen what they had to offer practically shoves the picture of her guy in Kate's face.

"Kate remember Brett Edwards?"

Kate could only nod not knowing where should go with this.

"Well take a look at him today! Man, he is a looker, isn't he?"

Kate could only stand there and groan.

"Katie, there is life after Josh. You just need to keep an open mind. If your mother was here she would know exactly what to say to you." Her father said.

Lanie watches as Madison hangs up the picture of her guy on the fridge. Everyone sees that and does the same vying for the best spot. By the time Kate realizes what they are doing she makes her way over to the fridge and looks at the pictures hanging there. When she gets to what looks like a page from a magazine she asks,

"Who is this?" Kate asks as she points to the picture.

"I have no idea," Ryan answers as he turns a little red in the face.

Kae returns to the chair at the table when Roz says something as she sits down.

"Kate listen if you want to have a fling I know these two guys who are married but they are always up for a good time." Roz flashes two pictures of men who she would never think about dating.

"Really Roz? You're not seriously thinking about hanging those pictures on my fridge?"

"Yeah, why not? They might grow on you."

"Well put them on the other side then."

Xx

He knew that Gina was a mistake from the first date. They never had anything in common, well maybe the sex but he wanted more. He has decided to cut off all ties from Black Pawn due to the fact that working with her would be just as bad as being married to her. He scrambled to find another publisher to publish his work and was lucky to latch onto a new publisher that was willing to give him a shot. His contract was not that good as Black Pawn's but he would not starve.

He hears a knock on the door and gets up to answer it. When he makes it halfway there the door swings open on its own revealing his attorney Chuck.

He shuts the door behind him and announces,

"Rick your divorce is final, you're a free man now woo hoo." He says as he holds a folder out to him.

"Chuck this is not a woo hoo moment. I was married to her for four years and I just got my ass kicked."

"High five?" Chuck hedges.

"Nope, It's not that kind of moment either.

Chuck lowers his hand and Rick slaps it. He starts to head back to his office with Chuck in tow.

"Rick you gave her everything she asked for. I'm just curious to know why."

"Why? It's because I was in love with her Chuck. But since you are a divorce attorney, you'd know nothing about love, right?"

"Hey, I resent that. I've loved a woman before!"

"Chuck I'm not talking about your mother!"

"Rick if you paid as much attention to Gina as you do about your characters you'd still be married."

"Yeah right.

"Rick you'll be paying monthly, Gina made sure about that."

"Tell me about it."

"Rick, Gina is history. Tonight is the night you start living your life again. I'm going to take you to every strip club in the city to get you banged. You will get laid until you can't remember her name."

"Chuck, I'm toast. I was just shredded by her, why would you think I want to go out and get laid?"

"Ric that's every man's dream! Banging unattached women is something we look for. Remember no strings."

"Can you go now? I need to get some work done and you're stifling my creativity."

"Okay, I know when I'm not welcome."

"Chuck you are always welcome just not now when I need to work."

"Goodbye, Rick."

"See ya, Chuck."

Xx

Kate walks through her local supermarket to pick up her weekly food needs. As she walks down one aisle, she noticed a new mother with her newborn. In her cart was all the things she needs to take care of her baby. Wipes, diapers, formula, and lotion. There was a time when she wanted this too. But Josh was the kind of person who'd rather hold someone else's baby than his own. She can feel her biological clock ticking down now.

She has her hair in a loose bun and as she turns into the next aisle, then she sees a very handsome looking man coming around the corner. Making her way halfway down the aisle she gives him a look that she's interested in him. By the time she makes it to the end of the aisle and takes her hair out of her bun to flow naturally, she decides to be bold and unzips her hoodie to show off her assets, and makes a swift U-turn back into the aisle to catch him before he leaves. When she turns into the aisle, she sees that it's totally empty. Man, she can't catch a break even in a supermarket. How pathetic is she?

With her feelings a little more than hurt she makes her way over to the deli counter to get something to eat for dinner tonight. She is met with an overzealous man behind the counter. She asks him for a single chicken breast and he insists on offering her the whole fryer for only seventy-five cents more. That's when she gets upset. All she wanted to do was come in here and pick up something quick to eat but now she gets the third degree.

"Why would you not want it? You get two breasts, two thighs, and a wing only for seventy-five cents more!"

"I honestly don't know when I'd eat all that."

"It's only seventy-five cents more." He hedges.

"It's not the matter of the seventy-five cents. I just can't see food going bad by me not eating it."

"Really well that's easy." The man behind the counter spins the recipe rack right in front of her telling her that there are more recipes here then he has ever seen before.

"There are a hundred recipes here. You can always cook them up, freeze them…and...

Kate has had enough. She sticks out her hand and stops the rack from spinning. Then she gives him a piece of her mind.

"Listen, mister, I just got out of a relationship where he didn't give a shit about me. I usually eat alone over my sink so I don't need a bunch of chicken just hanging around. Only one single chicken breast please!"

"Okay. Sorry."

"Thank you."

Later that evening Kate stood in her kitchen leaning up against her sink eating her one chicken breast thinking about how easy it was to be with someone. This was going to be tough for her because she can finally admit to herself that she needs someone in her life.

**A/N: Continue yes or no?**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning she has her personal routine almost finished and knows that she will need to face her partners after yesterday's quote intervention unquote. She was a little upset that they could assume that she would simply agree to their suggestions last night. As she was standing in her kitchen last night, and after she finished her chicken, she removed all the pictures that they had put up on her refrigerator door with magnets and tossed them into the garbage pail. She didn't want to meet anybody like that.

Xx

As she climbs the stairs for the 12th precinct she looks to her right and sees Tori coming alongside her and they both say hello at the same time and continue up the stairs. Once they reach the top of the stairs they stopped to talk.

"Good morning Kate."

"Good morning Tori, how are you?"

"I'm doing good but it's only the beginning of the work week and that will probably change very quickly."

"I tried calling you last night see if you wanted to get together to see a movie or maybe have a bitch session."

"I'm sorry Kate, Erin's parents are in town and I'm totally pissed. I'm under house arrest.

"Tori weren't they just here last…"

"Yes they were thank you very much and I don't know why they just can't stay at a hotel. They make her such nervous wreck and that in turn does the same to me."

"Tori you're my last hope at what it is to be in a loving and caring relationship. If you two fall apart I don't know what will happen then."

"Come on Kate you don't believe that what we have is an ideal situation do you? You know how long it's taken me to be accepted into Erin's parent's lives?"

"I don't know how long?"

"I still think I'm trying to gain their respect and trust. I just can't seem to tell her how much it hurts me to not be accepted by them."

Kate had known Tori since she was hired by the NYPD eight years ago. Since then she had attained the rank of Sergeant. She was one of the best computer techs the department had, and she was a lesbian. Kate never thought that her sexual orientation would stop her from advancing but it did. The good old boys club within the NYPD made sure that she had a tough time gaining any ground when it came to advancement only because she loved a woman. Erin had been in Tori's heart even before she was hired by the department. This is what Kate has fought against ever since she came to her asking for her help. They formed a lasting friendship from that point forward.

"Tori they'll come around. Just give them time."

"I do and that's what hurts the most. I love Erin, Kate I shouldn't have to sneak around behind closed doors to prove it."

"I know how you feel. But talk it over with her. Let her know how you are feeling."

"I will. So how was your weekend?"

"It was bearable. The "family" was over yesterday."

"Yeah, I'm not touching that one with a ten-foot pole."

"Tori they're not that bad and they mean well."

"Kate your friends are meddlers. I bet that they tried to set you up on a date am I right?"

Kate could only nod her head in acknowledgment.

"That just proves my point. Come on let's get inside before we're late."

They both walked into the twelfth looking forward to what the day gave them.

Xx

He had no effort to put forth. He just wanted to stay here and watch old movies on TCM. Movies were simple then. The bad guy always got what was coming to them and the good guy almost always got the girl. Chuck had been over earlier and was trying to lift his spirits. All he did was try to get him to go out to a strip club. He knew that doing anything other than sitting here in the loft was about all he wanted to do which is why he is now alone watching The Way We Were. He watches it two more times thinking about when times were good with Gina. He really needs to stop this.

Xx

He is roused from sleep the next morning way too early to the sound of someone annoyingly pounding on the front door to the loft.

"Come on Rick open up! We need to have a serious conversation about your dating life, or the lack thereof might be a better descriptor.

Pulling on his robe over his boxers he reluctantly let in Chuck.

"What could possibly bring you here at…" Rick looks at the clock on the kitchen wall. "At 7:23 in the morning?"

"Rick there is a great thing out there. It's something that you need desperately."

"There is? What pray tell could be this great thing that I'm in such a need for?"

"Internet dating! I've previewed some sites for you to look at."

"Oh no you don't. This will only end in disaster. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Come on don't be a doubting Thomas! You haven't even had a chance to look yet."

"I can see it now. A tragic, bestselling author with a broken heart seeking like-minded playmate who feels the same. That might get me one or two responses."

"While that might be your idea of a comparable mate, it's not exactly who I was going to look for. I was thinking about an Asian figure skater who just wants someone to snuggle up with on cold nights."

Rick just gave him a look that said as if.

"Listen, Rick, the right woman is out there. You just need to invest a little time and faith on this site and wa la you will be back."

"No Internet dating Chuck."

"Wait, what about Emily? I gave you her number she said you never gave her a call."

"Emily? She is twenty-four! She cares more about her body than she cares about seeing someone like me."

"She's gorgeous and she slept with half the guys in my office."

"Well, then why would you want to set me up with her?"

Chuck looked up from the laptop he was navigating with a look on his face and carefully spelled it out for his friend.

"She. Slept. With. Half of the guys In. My. Office!"

"Chuck, I'm looking for something more than Emily. Someone who understands me."

"Rick, that's a tall order. You do know that you are chasing a pipe dream, right?"

"I'll find her somehow."

Xx

The next morning Kate is in her bedroom surrounded by her friends. Intrusive friends, but friends none the less.

"Hopeless romantic young 50's widower seeks lady friend who enjoys the slow bloom of passion. Loves dogs, children, and long bike rides going nowhere. I will be wearing a yellow rose."

Kate just sat there listening to the response from her friend Lanie's ad that somehow she got suckered into going on in her place. Maddie who had been going through Kate's closet kept getting more frustrated the more she looked.

"Wow, I want to meet this guy," Lanie said as she placed the response on the table.

"Kate where are your boob shirts?" Maddie asked frustratedly.

"Boob shirts?" Kate replied with a confused look on her face.

"Yes, Kate. Boob shirts. They make your boobs the envy of every man. If you can get him to look at them then half the battle is won."

"Maddie not to worry I bought some of mine," Lanie said as she showed her friend the assortment of tops hanging from hangers.

"Oooh boob shirts. I don't have any of those and even if I did, I don't think I can wear them out in public."

"Listen, Kate, I have some dating tips here I tore out of Maxim," Lanie said.

"I'm not listening to anything a men's magazine has to tell me on dating the opposite sex."

"Kate at least listen to your friend she went to a lot of trouble finding this stuff," Maddie says with a smirk.

"Okay!"

"Number one: maintain eye contact. But don't stare at him that long because it will freak him out."

"Ahh, thanks for the warning or I might have freaked him out on the first date by doing my staring thing that I do."

Lanie just made a face and continued.

"Two, men respond sexually when they think women are excited by them. The more you like what you see your eyes will go wider."

"Oh my god, I'm dating again! I can't be doing this." Kate said.

"Kate, it's normal to feel this way. Just go with it." Lanie says.

"No! This is not me. Maddie, what if he wants to have sex? What if I want to? What if I can't control myself, what if I freak out?"

"Kate you are meeting him in a public place for coffee. I don't think that he or you will want to jump each other's bones on the first meeting."

"Yeah but…."

"Kate just get dressed in what I put on your bed…NOW!"

Xx

Forty minutes later Kate has doubts about this date when she gives her car keys to the valet to park her car. She really wants to go to a bar and have two or three drinks and tell her friends that she struck out on the date.

She walks into the café and searches for a man with a yellow rose. Finding no one she steps down onto the dining floor and sees a familiar face. As she starts to walk towards him, he sees her and gets up from his seat at the table he was sitting at.

"Dad?"

"Katie my lovely daughter!"

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Well, that's a fine way to greet your father."

"Dad I'm sorry. It's just that I'm meeting a… is that a yellow rose?"

"Sharp eye Katie, I never could get anything past you. Even when you were little."

"Let me guess it's for a lady friend right?"

Kate vaguely remembers the ad that Lanie had read to her earlier.

Kate drops her head in frustration and lets out a low growling Noooooo.

"Katie, come on. It's a natural progression of life. A man my age should be out there looking for a lady friend god bless your mother's soul."

"And would this lady friend enjoy the slow bloom of passion perhaps?"

"Yes, I'm hoping that she would. Why?"

"Dad, I'm your date!"

He could only look at her in shock.

"I am. I answered my own father's personal ad."

Jim just sat there laughing at the turn of events. He was getting a kick out of this.

"Stop laughing dad this is not funny!"

"Well, at least you know what you're getting by being on this site."

"Really dad? A young 50's widower? Dad, you're 68 as of last month. And when have you ever rode a bike anywhere?"

Jim looked up at her with a small smirk on his face.

"Katie I'm glad that you are out dating again."

"Dad please this is so disturbing." Kate gets up from the table and eyes the yellow rose.

"At least let me have the rose."

"I can't Katie."

"Why not?"

"I'm meeting another woman at four o'clock."


	3. Chapter 3

She was so upset that she had met her father for a date she needed to decompress. After she got home, she headed straight for the bathroom. She lit a couple of scented candles sandalwood scented if she remembers correctly and strips down to nothing. Knowing that the water has been running for the last ten minutes it was at the right temperature and almost filled the tub. Turning the valves for the water she watches as the water calms before she steps into the tub. It's like sheer heaven. She just soaks and tries to forget what a disaster meeting her father was. Resting her head back on the towel she has to support her head and neck, she drifts into a light sleep that is until her phone rings. She will not get out of the tub to answer it so the machine does its job for her.

"_Hi you have reached Kate Beckett. I'm not here right now so please leave a message at the beep."_

The machine beeps and Kate cringes as her friend starts to record her message.

"Kate it's me, Lanie. Please pick up."

Kate just listens as she hears her friend breathing on the other end.

"Come on Kate I know you're there."

Knowing that she'll never get a minute's rest until she answers she adjusts the answering machine to listen by the extremal speaker. The droplets of water from her hand getting the machine and floor wet in the process.

"Who else knows?" Kate asks as she gets comfortable again in the tub again.

"No one. I promise."

Kate sighed. "Maddie has to know. Her and my dad talk all the time."

"Yeah well so do I. Can't I once know something before she does?"

"Oh, damn she's there with you isn't she!"

"No."

"Hi, Maddie," Kate asks knowing that she's right and Maddie is there with her friend.

"Hi, Kate. You know its shame that I didn't know about this before you went on your date. I could have asked my dad to come along and then we could have doubled."

Kate just listens to them laughing it up and the more she hears the more she hates her life right now. The laughter slows enough for Maddie to ask a question.

"Kate, how would you rate your father on a date on a scale of one to ten? Hot, super-hot?"

"Goodbye, guys,"

Kate switches the answering machine back to answer mode and that cuts the call off. Then she sinks under the water. About ten minutes later she gets out of the tub after some reflection and dries off. She hastily goes through her nightly routine and gets ready for bed.

Xx

She had a case that was practically opened and closed, that was until an eye witness came to the twelfth and told her that she had seen what happened during the murder. This, in turn, turned a slam dunk into something that she could not close that easily.

The Captain had shown the possible suspect to the new witness through the two-way mirror and she had told him that they had the wrong man. Roy delivered her to Kate's desk and asked her to talk with her in the lounge.

"Mrs. Johnson are you sure that this man is the man you saw pulling a gun and firing it at Tamika Jones?" Kate asks.

"I'm positive Detective."

"Okay if you will excuse me for one minute I need to consult with my colleagues."

Kate leaves the lounge and heads to the break room picking up Ryan and Espo along the way. They looked at her with question until they realize there's something very wrong.

"Beckett, what's going on?" Ryan asks as they walk into the break room.

"Yeah Beckett, what gives? We have to finish the paperwork on this case and then we're going to process the guy in holding for a transfer to Rikers." Esposito adds.

"I am afraid that we have a situation. It seems that Mrs. Johnson who has come forward as a witness has information for us. Her information she has is contradicting what we already have. She told me that she didn't see the man we have in custody pulling a gun and shooting Tamika."

"Are you telling me that we have to cut this guy loose?" Espo asks.

"I'm not sure yet. Why don't we get Mrs. Johnson to look over some mug shots? If she can pick out a suspect, we'll have to put him in the lineup along with our prime suspect and see if she recognizes him. Or we can throw a couple of uniforms in the lineup in civilian clothes."

Espo and Ryan look at her hoping that she is kidding. But when they see her eyes squint at them they turn and leave. Ryan gets a cup of coffee for Mrs. Johnson and sits her down at his desk so she can start leafing through the most recent mug shot books.

About four hours later Mrs. Johnson has found nothing that looks like the man she saw that day. Kate looks at her watch and decides that they have been at this way too long.

"Mrs. Johnson, maybe a fresh set of eyes tomorrow might be the best thing. Can you return in the morning to continue?"

"Yes dear, I think that would be best. I need to get dinner ready for Mr. Johnson. Can I get a ride home?" She asks.

"That's not a problem. See the desk Sargent downstairs and he will have an RMP bring you home."

"Thank you."

Mrs. Johnson leaves for the elevator and Kate knows that she can only hold their current suspect until tomorrow morning. She is already starting to hate this case.

Xx

Kate was curled up on her couch reading a John Grisham book when her doorbell rang. She was not expecting anyone since it was already nine thirty at night. Traipsing to the door in her jammies she pulls open the door revealing her high school friend.

"Maddie, what are you doing here this late at night?"

"Don't be mad at me for this… okay?" Maddie says as she walks into Kates house.

Kate had a smile on her face but it quickly vanished.

"The last time you told me that you stole my boyfriend, Paul Higgins."

"I did not steal him!"

"I haven't forgiven you by the way."

"Stop! And anyway, he was a terrible kisser I did you a favor."

"You know he kissed me just fine."

"Okay, here it goes. I pretended to be you and I put up a profile on Lonely Hearts dot com."

Kate just stood there and laughed a little until she looked up at her friend. She was being serious.

"You've got to be kidding me! Maddie, have you lost your mind?

"Kate you can't just sit back and inertly answer other people's ads anymore. You need to be on offense."

"Well look at what happened earlier… with my father!"

"Kate come on. Just look at your profile."

Maddie pulls up the website for Lonely Hearts dot com. Kate switches places with her and as her profile loads up she's shocked to see her high school graduation picture in front of her.

"Maddie, you used my high school graduation picture? I'm a kid in that picture it doesn't represent who I am now!"

"Kate it was either that or you're NYPD academy graduation picture. Which would you rather?"

"Actually I don't like either of them."

Maddie looks over to her profile and sees that there are some responses to her ad but keeps it to herself.

Kate looks at her friend and reads her made up profile and about halfway through the profile Kate becomes a bit upset.

"Voluptuous? Really Maddie? Have you looked at my chest lately? I am not voluptuous."

"Kate half the ads describe the women this way."

"So you thought it was okay to do the same with me?"

"Read the profile again."

"Voluptuous, sensuous, single white female, loves to meet a man to share long walks under a starlit night."

"I'm still pissed."

"Well, it doesn't look like I made a wrong choice with the picture or the description on the profile because you have eighteen responses to your profile."

"You listened to them, didn't you?

"I like eight, twelve, and fifteen. Lanie liked two and seven and Roz liked every one of them."

After Maddie left Kate was eyeing her laptop wishing that her friend had never put her profile up on the site. On the other hand, could it hurt to look? She could always hit the delete button. Now she's intrigued and sits down in front of the laptop and clicks on the response button on the website and the responses open up in front of her. She listens to the first response and can't believe her ears.

_"What do you mean by voluptuous? Do you mean you have big breasts or are you just fat?"_

Kate hit the delete button without listening to the rest of that idiot's message. She clicked on the next response and the picture and his first words automatically earned him the delete button. The next ad was acceptable to her so she listened to it all the way through.

_"Hi my name is Walter and I'm an attorney but don't hang up, I like going to old black and white movies please don't delete me…_

Kate liked what she was hearing and decided to throw caution to the wind and respond to his ad.

**A/N: To my knowledge, there is no such dating site named Lonely Hearts dot com. It is just a figment of my overactive imagination, sorry to raise hopes.**


	4. Chapter 4

Knowing that she would recognize her date the second he walked into the restaurant Kate opted for a table away from the kitchen and restrooms and sat near the piano. When she arrived, the man playing it was not there playing. It was only after she was settled in when he decided to start playing. At first, it was soothing but after two songs it became agonizing to listen to. Maybe it was because this was her first real date in such a long time or maybe it was that she did not like Cindi Lauper being played on the piano. Either way, her nerves were on edge waiting for Walter.

The date was a disaster. Walter, as it turns out only, answered her ad because he was hoping for a younger woman. She should really kill Maddie for using her high school graduation picture. Kate was not that woman. Then when he thought that dating an eighteen-year-old was okay because she was legal, she almost threw up on the table. She threw down her napkin and left him with the bill for dinner.

Xx

The next two dates ended about the same way. Why is it that a woman has to defend herself to a man to gain an even playing field but the man does nothing of the sort? She retreats back to her apartment to lick her wounds. At least she got three free meals out of the whole experience.

Xx

Rick arrived at the fashion show and wondered how he ever got talked into it. Oh yeah, his friend Chuck said that it would be good to get out among people and mingle. Maybe he would find "someone" here but he seriously doubted it. He walks into the brightly lit room and as his eyes adjust to the light, he looks at the artwork that hangs from the walls for the backdrop of the show. Most of it is pretty good nothing that he would hang in the loft but none of it is an eyesore. He takes a glass of whatever the server has as he passes him and takes a sip. It turns out to be a full-bodied red which is actually pretty good. He makes progress through the room and spots his friend.

"Chuck, hey, how are you?"

"I'm good Rick."

"There are plenty of good pieces here," Rick says as he points to the artwork on the walls.

"Really I didn't see anyone."

"I'm talking about the artwork. I bet that this costs a fortune." Rick flips some type of shirt around to look at it.

Without warning a young woman just about shouts at them.

"Hey, Guys! Hi!" The petite blonde says as she gets closer to them.

"Speaking about artwork," Chuck whispers in a low tone.

"Hi, Emily. They both say at the same time.

"Hi Chuck, hi Rick," Emily responds. Then she moves in to kiss Rick on the cheek. Chuck is already jealous because when she was done, she never kissed him hello.

"So Emily are you having fun?" Rick asks.

"I am. But I feel sorry for the designers at this thing. All this talent on display and everyone here is just trying to get laid." Emily states looking directly at Rick.

"I know I am," Chuck announces. Rick just elbows him in the ribs effectively shutting him up.

"Rick, you never called me! I waited and waited."

"I know I am," Chuck said again. And again, Rick jabbed him in the ribs harder this time.

"Emily I'm sorry. I'm not ready to be in a long-term relationship and with someone as beautiful as you and I wouldn't expect anything less." Rick said as he wraps an arm around Emily's shoulder. Chuck had tagged along and Emily looks directly at him and says…

"Why can't you be sweet like that?"

Emily hears her named called and she's off in a flash. "Hey, Guys! Hi!"

"Man she has a really short attention span. And to think you wanted to set me up with her."

"You're a sick guy, you know that?"

"She's just another woman in the long line of classic mistakes."

Chuck reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls a print out from it. The second Rick opens it he starts.

"I am not answering an internet ad!"

"Just take a look will you please!"

Rick takes the printout and unfolds it then starts reading.

"Voluptuous and sensuous. Must love dogs."

"Well? What do you think?"

Rick studied her picture. It was her high school graduation picture and he thought she was appealing so he said so.

"She's easy on the eyes, I'll give you that. She's going to be really good looking when she grows up."

"Yeah, so I was surfing porn sites last night like I usually do but Lonely Hearts dot com kept drawing me back to her profile. This is not where I wanted to be, but there was something about her. This is a sign from heaven she's the one for you, Rick, I can feel it." Chuck finishes with a flurry.

"Nah tell the prom queen thanks but no I'm benched."

"Too late. You're meeting her tomorrow at eleven. Try to look presentable." Chuck turns and hightails it away from Rick before he can hit him. All he can hear him say is "I'm not going!"

Xx

Kate decided to head to the park just a bit early so she could be the first one there. Lanie insisted that she take her huge dog for protection. When she objected Lanie told her that he was a dog that would fight to the death protecting her if need be. She found an empty bench and sat down. No sooner than five minutes go by and Kate is seeing and hearing a small loud barking schnauzer. Becoming fed up with the noise she tries to talk to the dog.

"Stop that growling! Use your words."

As she finishes speaking her mind to the dog, she sees a very large man yelling at the dog she just talked to.

"SIT! STOP, SIT. STOP… SIT!"

"Yeah, I don't think he knows either stop or sit. What else have you got?"

Rick stops shaking his finger at the dog knowing that it's useless.

"Bruno, focus, roll over and play dead!" Rick commands. The dog does just that and stays there not moving.

"Hey look at that!" Rick says trying to make an impression on her.

"That's very impressive."

Rick just looks at the woman sitting on the bench. He can see her as a young graduate.

"Hey, are you Kate?"

Kate looks up and realizes that this is her date.

"Rick? Hi."

They shake hands and exchange hellos.

Kate is feeling nervous and tucks her hair behind her left ear.

"You know, I hardly recognized you without your cap and gown."

"Yeah." _What a moron! Why would he say something like that? She's here, isn't she?  
_  
"You know that's amazing," Kate says as she sees Bruno still playing dead.

"Yeah it is amazing," Rick tells her as he looks directly at her. But when he sees her looking at Chuck's damn dog, he shifts gears.

"Yeah um when he plays dead, he really plays dead. You don't know the half of it. He can almost stop his heart."

"Does he sleep on a bed of nails?"

As a matter of fact, he does. And he feels nothing, well almost nothing or maybe he feels too much."

Kate looks back down at the small dog and says,

"I think he wants his treat now."

"Do you think so? I think that he might ruin the effect."

"Well, that's up to you. He's your dog."

"Actually he's not. He is my friend Chuck's."

"So you're here under false pretenses."

"No, not at all. Your ad said must love dogs. Not must own dogs I do love dogs. I had one with my ex. But she became allergic and I had to put her down."

Kate looked at Rick strangely.

"Wait the dog, not the wife." Rick walks over to where Kate was sitting and kneels down to pet her dog.

"This is a very beautiful dog you have here."

"Yes. This is mother Theresa."

"Ah. She plays with lepers, comforts the poor?

Kate gives him a little smile and nods her head.

"How long have you had her?" Rick asks.

"Actually she's not mine. She is one of my best friends' dog."

"I'm shocked and saddened. False pretenses?"

"What? We are related kind of. She's family. She is my best friend and if that's not family I don't know what is. And I do really love dogs."

Kate looks out among the people in the park and decides to let go a little.

"My ex was allergic too."

Rick just looks over to her wondering if she's being honest with him.

"You're pulling my leg, right?"

Kate smiles knowing that she's been caught.

"Yes, I am."

"Well so was I." Rick seeing that this is going pretty good between them decided to ask her a question that's been in the back of his mind since he read her ad.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you write that you are voluptuous?"

Kate just stares at him and can't believe that this is the one thing in her profile he questions.

"Oh my god, you're unbelievable…"

"No, no wait I didn't mean to be rude, it's just that voluptuous usually goes the other way. That word is usually used to describe the full-size end of the spectrum."

"Jeez, I never knew that there was a full-size end of the spectrum."

"Yeah, it's just words like that they use in personal ads. Words like rubenesque, and weight proportionate to height. Hey it's your ad and you can say whatever you want, but just for the record if a girl says that she is athletic it usually meant that she's flat chested which you're not by the way." Rick's eyes automatically go to Kate's chest and she pulls her jacket tighter across her chest hiding her assets.

"I'm sorry this is not coming out the way I wanted it to. This is not usually the way I meet women and I'm a little nervous.

"Really? You seem so practiced and smooth." Kate looks to him and smiles and he does the same

"What I'm trying to say is that your ad does not do you justice, that's all I'm trying to say."

"Well, maybe you should rewrite my ad for me."

"Maybe I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Cause maybe I don't want anyone else to answer it," Rick says with a smirk.

"Did you plan on saying that sometime today?"

"No, I didn't. But it's good, isn't it? It's a good line."

"It is at that. Maybe we should try this again like a do-over."

"Sure okay, I'd like that."

Rick puts out his hand for a handshake and Kate is a little perplexed.

"Hi, I'm Rick."

"Hi, I'm Kate. Nice to meet you, Rick."

"So why would you need to write an ad? I mean you don't seem that desperate."

"Why would you answer one? Talk about desperate." Kate says as she looks at him.

"Oh I'm not, I didn't. My friend Chuck gave it to me."

"Well, I didn't write mine. My best friend did."

"Your best friend? Your other friend's dog, are those your shoes?

Kate knew when she was being ridiculed. Raising her arm to expose her watch she says,

"Oh my god, will you look at the time! I really need to get going."

"Hey wait a sec… I'd really like to get to know you better."

"I really have to get this dog back to my friend, and you don't want to go over on your rental." Kate points to the small dog still playing dead on the ground.

Rick was not sure what was happening here. He wants to see her again but there is nothing he can think of to keep her there so he makes the mistake of opening his mouth and what comes out is not what he wanted to say.

"So um I was thinking… maybe we could try this again sometime?"

Kate just looks at him not really wanting to agree so she says "You bet." And starts to walk away.

"I'll call you."

Kate stops and turns looking at Rick. "Uh huh." She turns back and hurries out of the park.

She knows that he'll never call because they never exchanged numbers. Not that she thinks that another date with him would be a good thing though. But he was easy on the eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Her father had decided to have their weekly family dinner at a new restaurant this weekend. She knew of the place it was called Lazy Eyed Susan's. It was a quaint little eatery and she had never been there before. But the thing that really irked her was the fact that he'd invited not one of her friends but he also invited his latest lady friend. She was leaving by the way of her front door when she ran into Maddie. Literally.

"Maddie, what the hell?"

"Kate if you were watching where you were going and were not so preoccupied you'd have seen me and heard me knocking on the door."

"I have a lot on my mind okay!" Kate replied in a huff.

"I can see that."

"Wait, why are you here? My dad invited you to the restaurant, not to my front doorstep."

Maddie just gave Kate a knowing look and said,

"So how was your day today? At the park?"

Kate could only look at the deceit that covered her friends face.

"How did you know about that?"

"Come on Kate, you forget who you're dealing with here. Now dish!"

Begrudgingly she began as they made their way to Maddie's car.

"Well, we started off a little rough but it was okay. It was a little tense he was nervous and he could not stop insulting me."

"You know what this sounds like right?"

"No, this is not that."

"Oh, it sure is. This is the perfect growth opportunity."

"No, it's not. I'm not over my last growth opportunity when you stole Paul Higgins from me."

"Oh come on! Paul Higgins is probably a convicted felon by now."

Kate just stood there watching as her friend as she walks to the driver's side of her car. When she sees that Kate is still standing on the sidewalk with a look on her face, she prompts her to move.

"Kate?"

"He's not a felon."

"You didn't." But after her face contorted, she knew. "You did!"

"I had to. You stole him from me."

"Is it not an abuse of police resources to look in on your old boyfriend?"

"Shut up Maddie," Kate said as she reaches for the door handle of her friend's car.

"Wait, what about that other detective, DaSilva, Degraw, no it was Demming that's it."

"That's not an option. He has a kid. Do you know what that would do to us? Imagine if I become invested in a relationship with him, there are more feelings at stake here and not only my own. He's a father Maddie."

"That's right Kate, but he's not your father. That's a big step up for you."

"Maddie!" She said in a huff and got in the car.

Xx

They were shown to the table where her father already was. When they walked in all she could see is her dad and the new woman in his life lip-locked in a deep soul-searching kiss. Neither her or Maddie could do anything to stop the display of affection. It only lasted until her father's new love interest noticed them. She then abruptly disengaged from her father's lips and waved.

"You must be Kate!" Hanna said.

"I am. And this is my high school friend Madison Queller. Maddie for short."

"I'm pleased to meet the both of you! I have heard so much about you Kate."

"Good to know. Shall we sit down?"

"That would be a grand idea," Jim says.

Maddie is the first to notice Hanna's dress and it looks like something that a model would never wear at fashion week. Hideous was too good of a word.

"So Hanna, that dress your wearing, where is it from, I mean who made it for you?" Maddie asks.

"Oh, this old thing? I made it myself. Do you like it?"

"It's unique I'll give you that."

"It's one of a kind! I had to sew it myself." Hanna said enthusiastically.

"She's very creative, is she not?" Jim says.

"My mom used to sew all my clothes." Kate states.

"Kate! That's enough." Her dad reprimands from across the table.

"Well, she did." Kate looks at her father with a look that could kill.

"Kate your father told me all about your mother she must have been a very special lady. I am so sorry for your loss."

"She was."

"And I bet that you miss her very much."

"I do."

Maddie had the gall to look at Hanna with a disgusted look on her face and Kate silently gave her the evil eye.

"But what I can tell from your body language you see me as a threat. Believe me, Kate, I'm not trying to take your mother's place.

Xx

"Maddie she's a threat!" Kate says as they entered the ladies restroom.

"Kate she and your father have a relationship. How would you like it if your father criticized the men you dated?"

"Maddie!

"Let's face it, Kate. You have no life!"

"I beg to differ. I do so have a life. And a very full one at that."

"Seriously Kate, have you checked any of the other messages from Lonely Hearts dot com? I noticed a couple of good looking guys there that might be worthy."

"Like who Maddie?"

"How about the architect from Brooklyn with the sexual dysfunction."

"Now in what way would that ever be good for me?"

"Well, you could cure him. The whole nurse/patient thing comes to mind."

Kate seeing that she was not going to win this decides to shifts gears.

"If you think that he's savable then why don't you call him then?"

"I just might!"

"Okay, then I'll give you his number!"

They were just about back to their table when Kate heard it. She knew it was him.

"Ladies, how are you doing today?"

Turning around she was almost face to face with him.

"Tom, what a surprise."

"Hi, Kate. And who is this beautiful woman next to you?"

"Oh right. Tom this is my friend Maddie. Maddie this is detective Tom Demming."

"I see. So, Tom do you work with Kate?"

"I work in the same building but in robbery, not homicide."

Just then a thought hit Maddie. It was perfect and it would piss off Kate.

"So Tom, why don't you join us at our table?" Maddie asks.

"I'd love to. But my son is in the restroom. I'll meet you there in a minute or so?"

"Wonderful," Kate said in a sarcastic tone. The looks Maddie was getting from Kate could cut stone. But she looped her arm around Kate's and dragged her back to the table.

"Mr. Beckett I'm going to tell you that we will be having another person joining us at our table shortly."

"Oh? We will? Who?"

"One of Kate's co-workers. A Mr. Tom Demming."

"Ah, Demming. I've heard of his shenanigans."

"Dad! Just act normal. That goes for you too Maddie."

In less than a minute Tom came back to the table hand in hand with his son Austin. They introduced themselves and sat down.

"So Tom, Kate tells me that you were instrumental in solving that case with the serial robber. How does it feel to stop a wanted felon?"

"It's a rush. Our squad was responsible for setting the trap and taking him down. It felt great to stop a man who preyed on unsuspecting people."

"So Tom, is my little girl lovely or is she lovely?"

"DAD!"

"What is it, Katie? I'm simply stating a fact."

"You're embarrassing me, dad!"

Tom just looked at Kate in a different light. She was beautiful but he doubted that she'd ever admitted that out loud in the precinct or anywhere else for that matter. At the precinct she felt like she was at home, she could act like the badass she is and answer to no one.

Dinner ended and Tom left to get his son's project ready for school the next day. They said goodbye and left.

Xx

Maddie and Kate are sitting in her car in front of her apartment building. She needs to go but Maddie keeps on bringing up small tidbits about how their dinner went after Tom joined them.

"You have to admit, he was fun to be with Kate."

"Maddie! Come on."

"What, he's hot and I can tell that he likes you."

"Maddie he has a son. I'm not going to get into the reasons why me seeing him would be so wrong."

"Kate, he is a cop. Someone who is on the same playing field as you are, and he has a nice looking ass."

"You're right about his ass, not to mention his eyes…."

"And his smile…"

"NO. Maddie, I can't."

"Kate let me ask you a question."

"Okay."

"You never would have left Josh, would you?"

"You mean if he hadn't left me?"

"Yeah."

"No, I don't think so."

"But Kate you were never really happy with him. So why stay?"

"Maddie that's the life I picked. So, I had to make it work. I'm not even sure that I deserve a new life now. Sometimes I think that was my one chance and I blew it."

"Can I say one more thing…"

Kate cuts her best friend off and answers for her.

"You love me, I know." Then Kate leans across the armrest and gently places a friendly kiss to Maddie's cheek, opens the door and leaves with a quiet click of the door. Once she is gone Maddie whispers almost to herself,

"I do."

Maddie starts up her car and makes the long trek back to Northern New Jersey.


	6. Chapter 6

Rick let Chuck talk him into a physical exercise. That was his first mistake. The second was believing that his friend was doing this for his health. He was wrong on both accounts. As they walked out onto the dock Rick had second thoughts about the honesty of his friend.

"Chuck, are you sure that this will be good for me?"

"Rick, are you kidding? This will get you out and about. Fresh air and serenity."

"Chuck yesterday in the park when I was with her and I was not even on my "A" game yesterday."

"Rick from what you've told me you were nowhere your "B" or "C" game either."

"I'm going to call her again. I'm going to call her and ask her out on a real date. Maybe I can get a mulligan. Her dog threw me, the sun was in my eyes."

"Rick you could pick someone else and start all over again."

"Chuck, there's something about this girl. She's special. Have you heard the expression 'She took my breath away? Well, she did, literally. I actually gasped. I'm off the bench!"

"Do think that she'll see you again? I wouldn't after yesterday's fiasco."

"You are not nice. You're not a nice person." Rick gave his friend an evil eye.

Xx

The new detective entered the bullpen and sashayed over to Kate's desk as if she owned the place. Kate was talking to Tori about plans that they wanted to make for this weekend. Without any warning what so ever Jane started telling her about how the canvass and the serving of the warrant went earlier that day. Tori just became quiet mid-sentence.

"Detective Beckett we found nothing that would indicate that our perp was at home. After announcing our presence, we forcibly gained access to his dwelling. What we found was what we think was a hasty exit. All his personal belongings were gone as well as his laptop and tablet."

Kate looks up to Tori trying to convey how sorry she is because of this intrusion into their conversation.

"Okay detective. Just flag his credit and debit cards for possible charges. I'll be done here in a couple of minutes." Kate motioned between herself and Tori. She watches as Jane walks over to the murder board like she did nothing wrong.

Jane updates the murder board and stands looking at it trying to put something together. She wonders if her lead detective is a lesbian. She talks to that Tori woman all the time and they seem pretty friendly together. She'll never understand how two women can fall for each other. She updates the information that she and detective Ryan got earlier in the day and nothing pops. So, it's back to square one.

Xx

"Now back to what I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted."

Tori has the sense to giggle just a little knowing that this new detective is way too gung ho.

"Yes, Kate you were saying?"

"What I was thinking was maybe you and Erin could come over to my place tonight, I can rent a romantic comedy on Netflix, and pop popcorn and just talk."

"Kate that sounds wonderful but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because today is our anniversary. It's been just the two of us on our anniversary. I'm sorry."

"That's sweet."

"It is. Seven years ago, tonight we met at my parent's house. They were trying to fix up Erin with my brother. Oops."

Xx

Later in the day, Kate hears him coming up behind her before she sees him. She knows that he's here to see if he can get a date with her. It's the only thing that will fit.

"Detective Beckett." Tom Demming calls out as he stops by her desk.

"Detective Demming. What brings you up here?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing today that's all."

"Oh, by the way, I hope my father didn't embarrass you too much at dinner last night."

"It's okay Kate. I've been in that position before."

"You have?"

"Yes, it was a couple of years back when I was dating Courtney Hessman. Her dad asked me questions that I'd rather not repeat here."

"Oh."

"Kate there is an attraction between us. I can feel it and I can't deny it."

"I'm can. I'm trying to ignore it.

"Why?"

"You have to ask Tom? First, you're a cop who works in the same building as I do. And we're on my floor and I get the feeling that you are going to ask me out on a date."

"Would that be so bad?"

"Tom it's against regulations for us to even consider dating each other."

"Come on Kate. Just give us a shot I won't tell if you don't."

God, she can't believe that she is actually considering this.

"Tom let me think about it okay?"

Tom nods his head and returns back to his floor.

Xx

She is exhausted and needs food. She decides that making something fresh is what's called for because she could have sworn that the Styrofoam temple that's in her fridge was moving. She settles on scrambled eggs and an English muffin. She starts moving the spatula around in the pan and her attention is brought to her open laptop. It's open on the Lonely Hearts website and she hits play to listen to all of her messages from the dates that she's been on.

"Hey, Kate it's Lenny. I had a wonderful time on our date. But I'm not sure if we are compatible as a couple. I'm sorry."

All Kate hears is dead air. She was just dumped by a voice mail. She waits for the next message to load.

"Kate hi it's Rick. The idiot from the park the other day."

Kate stopped moving her eggs around in the pan and listened to his message.

"Actually the other day was a simple test to see how you responded to crazy people…."

Kate let go of a giggle as she listened to what he said next.

"… and you passed. So, I was thinking that maybe we could see each other again. Craziness aside would you consider another date with me?"

The message ended and she felt a small connection to him. He was handsome, and he was honest and funny. Maybe she should give him another chance. She swivels her laptop to face her and leaves a response to his message.

Xx

When she checks her messages the next day, she has a response from him.

"Kate it's Rick. Wear something seductive and yet presentable." Kate would be going over everything in her wardrobe to find the right dress right until he knocked on her door.

Xx

She looks up at the storefront and sees a Greek restaurant. He pulls up and puts the car in park and quickly gets out and rushes to her side of the car. He opens the door being the gentleman she knew that he was.

"Rick?" She questions when she hears what could be a wedding waltz from inside as she gets out of his car.

"Kate they sometimes hold receptions here. I promise you there will be no funny stuff. The food is top shelf here." Rick said.

They are seated away from the reception but not that far so Kate can't see the going's on from the wedding party. The music is making her move in ways that she never has in quite some time. After they have been seated and Rick says what's on his mind.

"Kate I came here with a couple of ice breakers, I even have a few stories, but I don't think that's what you want to hear. I think that it's your dress that has me mesmerized."

"Do you like it? My friend Maddie made me buy it when I had nothing that was seductive yet presentable to wear."

"I think Maddie is my newest best friend."

Kate takes a look around and sees that there is a lot going around her.

"This is a very nice place, Rick. Do you like the food here?"

"Not particularly no. I love the ambiance here. I actually know the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Papadakis. They are right over there dancing." Rick points to the couple and waves. Kate steals a quick look.

"Rick they are asking you to dance with them." Kate sees them waving him at them.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. They guilt me into it and I really hate myself when I leave here hours later."

The couple walks up to Rick and Kate and Rick introduces Kate as his date to them. Without warning Mr. Papadakis is pulling her arm towards his mouth to place a very gentle kiss to her hand. His lips feel like velvet on her hand. Mrs. Papadakis gives Kate a quick kiss on each cheek and she is a bit taken aback. She recovers quickly and looks at Rick who it seems is speaking Armenian to Mr. Papadakis.

When they finish she asks,

"So you speak Armenian?"

"I do."

"What were you asking him?"

"Where the little boy's room was."

"Riiiiick! Come on your pulling my leg."

"I'm not but I wouldn't mind holding onto your leg."

Then without warning, Kate felt butterflies suddenly materialize in her belly. Then her cheeks flushed but she just said nothing in response.

Their server appeared and took their order for dinner. Kate let him order and she hoped it was the right thing to do. Seeing that the date was stalling a little, Kate decided to find out about Rick.

"So Rick what exactly is it that you do?"

"I'm a mystery writer. I write novels."

"Oh, anything I might have heard of?"

"Derick Storm?" Rick suggested. But the look he was receiving from Kate showed him that she had never heard of his character before.

"Kate can we just skip all this small talk?"

She leans in at his suggestion and whispers _what_?

Can we just skip it? just skip it? I mean who are you? Who am I? Why are we here? I just have this theory that when you first meet somebody that's when you need to be totally honest with them because you have nothing to lose. Five or ten years down the road…well, that's when it gets a lot harder. When you wake up one day and say Happy Anniversary dear this is the real me. It doesn't work that way you know what I'm talking about Kate. We're not going to see each other as clearly and as naked as we do right now in this moment! This instant!" Rick looks across the table and sees that Kate is staring at him as if he is crazy. He does get a bit carried away when he is passionate about something so he backpedals a bit.

"I'm really scaring you right now aren't I."

"A little bit, yeah. But on the one hand, you are very charming and interesting, you have a lot of energy and you know on the other hand just a little bit scary."

"I'm sorry. I sometimes get passionate about a topic and get carried away. So how about if I tell you my story?"

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Well, I'm just divorced and had my heart broken badly by a woman I really loved. I think that your heart grows back bigger after you get the shit kicked out of you. The universe lets that happen."

"The universe huh? You seem to have a lot of faith in the universe."

"You have to. You need to go through all that pain and heartbreak to come out on the other side to start over again. At least that's the way I see it. So, what's your story? Why are you single Kate?"

"Um…" She looked at Rick not knowing if she should open her heart to him. But in the end, she decided to do just that.

"Come on Kate you can do it. Just tell me the truth. What have you got to lose?"

"Alright." Kate looked at him hoping that he would understand. She thought since he was a guy who wore his heart on his sleeve he'd understand.

"He stopped loving me."

Rick could see the heartbreak in her eyes the second she said that. He felt bad for her.

"And I don't know what I did or didn't do he just stopped."

Kate looks at Rick and the silence has gone on far too long she needs to say something. He said to be honest so she is.

"I don't think that I've ever said that out loud."

"See that was great! Now we can sit back, enjoy our food, and get to know each other." Rick lifts his hand and motions to Kate to shake his hand. All she can do is laugh at him.

Dinner went well and they leave the restaurant together.


	7. Chapter 7

Rick can't keep his hands off of her. And she can't seem to stop from molesting him on the way out of the restaurant. They barely make it out of the restaurant without deeply kissing each other into oblivion. People walking by shut at them to get a room and that would be their plan if they could separate from each other. The ride to her place is a blur to both of them. He can only figure out where she lives by the way she hums right turn or left turn into his mouth. If he knew where she lived it would be so much easier. They finally arrive at what he thinks is her house. He slides out of the driver seat, moves to the passenger door and opens it for her to let her out. The second she's out of the car, her arms are around his neck and her legs are around his waist. Never has a woman done this to him. Not one to stop the moment, Rick walks up to the front door enters the lobby of the building and stops by the elevators. Kate who must have a sixth sense is already pushing the button without even breaking from the kiss she currently has Rick in.

They get to her apartment and Rick leans her against the door as she fumbles for the keys to open the door. Realizing that Kate is having trouble with the key in the lock Rick takes charge pulling the ring from her hand and opens the door. They make it to her bedroom and he gently lays her down on the bed. The lip lock they were in was about three minutes long and Rick started to caress her body from head to toe. Then he decided to run his leg between hers. All he received in return was a hot sounding groan that had her moving his leg closer to get more friction where she wanted it. Then everything stopped and Kate was pushing him away from her. When he looked to her as they sat up her dress strap fell and he could almost see her breast. He looked up when she spoke.

"Rick, condom?"

"Condom?

"Yes! You use them to ensure that you can have safe sex."

"Don't you have any?"

"Why would I have one?"

"Well for occasions like this."

"Rick there were no occasions like this for me. You didn't bring one?"

"I didn't want to jinx it."

Xx

They are speeding down 5th avenue in search of a pharmacy to pick up condoms. Rick decided that there was too much pressure to have sex so while Kate looked for a Duane Reed or a CVS, he decided to ease the tension.

"So, Kate you work at the 12th precinct? Is it like the worst or best station to work out of?"

She can't believe that he wants to know about where she works while they are on the hunt for protection to have sex.

"I guess it's like any other precinct in the city. People commit murder and I investigate. RICK Pharmacy!" Kate shouted the last part of her sentence.

Rick swerves into the parking lot of a Walgreens and hops out of the car almost before putting it into park. Kate watches as he runs up to the door and as he does all the lights in the store go out. All Rick can do is stand there feeling a little upset. That is until he hears the car horn beep.

They are driving back across 23rd street and he can see the wheels in her head turning. If he keeps his mouth shut, she will give him a direction to go in so he waits for her.

"Rick there is a Rite Aid on 25th street. Take a left now."

"Don't you think that going up to 5th would be quick…."

"TURN LEFT NOW RICK!" Kate yells.

The car makes a hard left and Rick is already exceeding the 25-mph posted speed limit by 5 miles per hour.

"Is this the fastest you can go?" Kate demands.

"If I go any faster, I'll get pulled over."

"Rick I'm a cop! Stop the car now."

Rick did as he was told but wondered why. The next thing he knew Kate was throwing off her seat belt and opening the door the get out. All he heard from her was,

"I'm driving."

He got out and they switched places. Tires on his car were squealing as she took off back down 23rd street heading for 7th ave. She made a hard left onto the avenue and Rick's eyes lit up like Christmas.

"Kate right there! Quick pull over to the right. Jackpot!"

Kate does and screeches to a halt right in front of a CVS. Rick jumps out and enters the store. While she waits, she thinks about how they will be with each other. She noticed that he was well hung and she would love to have him enter her show her what he could do with his god given gift. Then as she is thinking about what it would feel like to take him into her mouth before she can think any further he is already coming out of the store. He stops by the open car window and says,

"They're out!"

"What?! How can they be out of condoms?"

"I have a theory about that," Rick says as he gets back into the car.

"Well let's hear it," Kate asks.

"I think that everyone in the whole city is having sex at the exact same moment… except us."

Kate's face droops knowing that he is most likely right.

"But we will press on!" Rick tells her.

They switch the driving duties and Rick finds a Duane Reed and parks the car in the parking lot. He leaves Kate in the passenger seat awake but looking a little tired. He goes in and sees what he wants and buys a whole box of twenty-four just to be safe. When he gets back to the car, he can see Kate sleeping n the passenger seat. He really does not want to wake her but as he opens the door, she stirs awake.

"Oh, yea." She says.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, the magic is kinda gone."

"Oh. Yeah, your right."

"I, I mean…"

"Hey no I understand. Hell, I'd be happy just to sit here and look at you all night."

"Rick um I haven't done this in a while and I um…"

"And now you don't want to."

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Hey don't be. If the magic is gone it implies that the magic was once there. And that's not bad for a first date."

"Second date."

"Second date, right." Rick just looks at her thinking how different tonight would have gone if he only had a condom. He leans in for a chaste kiss and Kate welcomes him. When they part, he waits for her to leave his car. When about a minute passes Kate says,

"You know that you still need to drive me home right?"

"I do because you don't live here." He replies a little embarrassed.

The ride back to her place is spent in silence. Once they make it to her floor Rick sees Kate reach for what should be a gun on her hip. He is a little taken aback with this motion and gives her a look of concern.

"Kate?"

"Rick there is someone in my place."

She slides the key into the lock and opens the door. Knowing that she has no weapon because of the dress she is wearing she cautiously moves towards her kitchen.

"Don't worry it's only me. Listen I restocked your freezer with enough meat to feed every guy who answered your ad and still…"

Madison stopped when she saw Kate and a very attractive man beside her.

"Rick Castle my best friend Madison Queller."

"Hello."

"Hi," Madison replied.

"Rick did, in fact, answer the ad."

"Do I get my meat now?" Rick askes as a joke.

Before he can react Madison is tossing him a plain white wrapped parcel filled with about two pounds of meat which Rick catches with ease.

"Thank you."

Goodbyes are exchanged and Rick leaves.

Kate wishes that tonight had gone so much different. She thinks that he is most interesting of all the dates that she's been on. She cinches the tie to her robe and heads down to the kitchen where she knows that Madison is still there.

"Kate I'm sorry."

"Maddy it's okay. We both realized that it was not going to happen tonight." Kate says as she places her hand on Maddy's shoulder.

"What's the matter? He's so cute." Maddy says as she pours both of them a cup of tea.

"I don't know. We had a great night. We were laughing, really talking…"

"Wait you had a guy talking to you and you let him escape?"

"I'm not sure I exactly understood what he said."

"That doesn't matter. He spoke. Did he speak in full sentences or did he just grunt?"

"Maddy, he's quite emotional. I think I know more about him then I knew about Josh."

"An emotional man who likes to talk. Kate this guy is a mythical figure."

"Maddy I'm not ready for someone like him. He's looking for the whole dance and I'm just starting to relearn the steps."

"Stop. Tell me what happened exactly. Leave nothing out and tell me everything."

"We really connected at the restaurant and like I said but where do you go from there? I mean how many Baba ghanoush's can you really have? And then we started to make out. Maddy, it was just like being in the 12th grade again. And then neither of us had a condom and I think that reflects a lot on ambivalence. Maybe I'm not cut out for this… life in the fast lane."

"Kate, fast lane? You're not even on the on-ramp yet." Maddy picks up the box of condoms and says,

"These people look happy."

"Of course they do because they have a condom." Kate fires back.

"Mark and I couldn't find a condom once you wanna know what we used?"

"No!" Kate knew that her best friend would spill anyway.

"Saran Wrap."

"Thank you form that image that will stay in my brain for the rest of my life."

"It was sexy in a good housekeeping kind of way."

"I'll never be able to wrap leftovers again. Did it work?"

"Jillian was born nine months and one day later."

"I just don't want to do random dating Maddy. I want to be in love. I wanna wake up to someone and see them smile. Do the whole Sunday breakfast thing, go out and get the paper, stay in bed all day…"

"Wouldn't we all."

Kate gives her friend a sad smile and takes a sip of her tea.

**A/N: Some reviewers have figured out that this is not an original work and they are right. This story is actually based loosely on the movie "Must Love Dogs." Ideas are becoming harder and harder to think up and seeing a movie that might be a possible platform for our two favorite characters, I will use it. I am sorry if I had misled you into thinking that this was an original story. I'm sorry to say to you that it's not. I'll understand if you want to stop reading this. But I really hope that you stay for the rest of it. **

**P2P**


	8. Chapter 8

Rick sat there and couldn't believe his ears. So, the editor from his new publishing house he was writing, for now, told him one more time.

"Mister Castle, when we signed you on, we had expected something a little better than this. I know you wanted to continue the Derrick Storm novels but the gibberish that I'm reading here is nothing that I expected."

Rick sat there and looked at the managing editor wondering what the hell he was talking about. Most of the stuff he had turned in for editing was good if not great some of his best.

"Mr. Young, the pages I turned in are just short of ten chapters. The outline I have written up in total should be twenty-five chapters. I can't understand why you don't like this new character that I have created."

"And herein lies our problem Mr. Castle. I wanted a continuation of the Derrick Storm series. I wasn't interested in some new character that you might or might not be able to introduce to me. We had an understanding that Derek Storm would be that character. I'm interested in about you can be writing about him. Who is this Nikki Heat person anyway?"

"She's a hard-nosed detective who is one of the best cops around. She lost her mother when she just started college and…"

"Mr. Castle I wasn't asking you for a synopsis!"

"Oh sorry."

"So now that we are on the same page so to speak, why don't you hurry along and write something about Derek Storm. I'll expect a rough draft on my desk in about two weeks."

The second Mr. Young finished his sentence he was gone from the room. Rick watched as the door closed and sighed heavily. He could write his new character he knew it in his heart. He needed his lawyer to see about the contract he signed. He wondered what Chuck was up to right now. He collected his jacket, rolled down his sleeves buttoned them and threw the jacket over his shoulder walking slowly out of the conference room.

By the time he got to the lobby, he had already speed dialed Chuck and told him to meet him at the loft. Maybe he'd have some idea on what he should do. He raised his arm to flag down a cab and within seconds one was pulling over to the sidewalk. A first during midafternoon in Manhattan. He gets in and gives his address and he's off.

Xx

By the time he gets back to the loft Chuck standing at his front door. But he doesn't understand why since he already has a key it would have been so much easier for him just to walk inside instead of standing out in the middle of the hallway waiting.

"So tell me, why didn't you just go inside you have a key?" Rick asks.

"Remember the last time I went in there?" He asks pointing at the door. "Gina almost bashed in my head with a frying pan. I'm not going to go in where I'm not wanted until I have an escort with me, namely you."

"Chuck come on there's nobody in there. I'm not seeing anybody right now which brings me to my next dilemma."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"Well, I just got my ass chewed out by the editor of my new publishing house. It seems that he's interested only in Derrick Storm and not Nikki Heat. But I really don't care."

"Wait a second who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

Chuck just looked at his friend and he could tell he was hiding something what it was, he doesn't know.

"Something's up. What's going on with you, you seem to be too happy. This is not like you. Ever since Gina divorced you or you divorced her however you want to look at it you've been down in the dumps. But today you're a different person. What gives?"

"I went out with her again. We had dinner together last night."

"Who? Internet girl?"

"Her name is Kate and man you should have seen her. She's shy, she's fragile, she's self-conscious, she has no idea how beautiful she is, she's a mess. She's fantastic. The evening didn't end the way I would have wanted it to but there were moments where we were ourselves. I was completely psychotic and she was completely lovely."

"So are you thinking about completely closing the sale anytime soon?"

"You see that type of comment is what separates me from you. I tell you about an extraordinary night with an unusual woman and you try to turn it into some business transaction. We're not buying and selling real estate here Chuck."

"And if we were selling real estate?"

"We'd be in escrow by this afternoon."

Rick shares a fist bump with his friend and they head to the fridge to get a beer. they spent the rest of the afternoon talking about this new character he dreamed up called Nikki Heat. With a little prodding, Chuck thought he could get the new publishing company to take a hard look at what Rick had written already. But he still would keep his fingers crossed.

Xx

Kate, Lanie, and Madison walk into her dad's back yard and what they find is something out of a fairy tale. There is music playing, food is being eaten and everyone has a drink in their hand.

"Maddie, I see that my father is not alone."

"Nope, he's not. He never is."

"Hey, remind me what the new one's name is again?"

"I believe that's ones Marlene, but it could be Eileen but I'm not sure. But you know Kate, none of these women will ever measure up to your mom."

Lanie chimes in with, "No I'm sure that one is Dorothy, I think. but it could be Eileen but I'm not sure."

"Who knew," Madison says.

Kate stands there drinking a mimosa and she feels her sleeve of her coat being tugged. As she turns, she sees her aunt Theresa. Kate bends in for a kiss to her cheek and tells her that she looks wonderful.

"Thank you, Katie. You look fine too…. considering. We never liked Josh. We couldn't say anything but we knew." She says.

"Thank you. That's so sweet of you to say."

"I hear that you're not seeing anyone? Is that wise with the clock ticking? Because if you're not I have someone special for you to meet. Casey Donavan, he's handsome, smart, sweet, and don't forget single."

"Aunt Theresa, he's my first cousin!"

They are taken away from the conversation by her dad clinking his spoon against his glass.

"Attention, attention! This is a big day for the Beckett family. Today is about my godson Ryan who made his first confirmation. I'd like to recite a poem to commemorate the occasion if I may."

"So who do you think he'll go with?" Kate asks Lanie and Madison."

Lanie answers "Tennison."

Madison goes with "Browning."

Kate hopes that it's "Yates."

"Brown Penny, by William Butler Yeats."

"Ha, I knew it!" Kate said to her friends.

I WHISPERED, "I am too young,"

And then, "I am old enough;"

Wherefore I threw a penny

To find out if I might love.

"Go and love, go and love, young man,

If the lady be young and fair."

Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,

I am looped in the loops of her hair.

O love is the crooked thing,

There is nobody wise enough

To find out all that is in it,

For he would be thinking of love.

Till the stars had run away

And the shadows eaten the moon.

Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,

One cannot begin it too soon.

Xx

Kate is saying goodbye to her aunt Theresa and her friend's dog jumps up on her almost knocking her down. His wife sees this happen and is pissed. So much so that she runs up to him and says, "Michael stop her from doing that!"

Kate immediately says it's okay I don't mind."

Michael looks to his wife and says, "See she doesn't mind." As he pulls the dog off Kate.

"That's not the point!" She says as she stomps off even madder.

"She actually likes dogs and me for that matter."

Kate gave him a kiss and he was off to find his wife and explain about the dog.

Her father walked up to her and asked her if she wouldn't mind taking home his latest lady love.

Kate looked at the woman who was standing next to her aunt trying to make small talk and said "Okay dad,"

It was then that Dolly said, "I don't mind staying."

In a flash, her father was making a beeline to the woman he left only seconds ago. She can't believe him.

Xx

The ride to her house is almost spent silently. That is until Dolly asks what Kate thinks of her father and her competition.

"You know Dolly I really should not get involved with his love life. It's just to…."

"It's okay Kate. A woman knows."

"Not always." She says bitterly.

Dolly just looks at her knowing what might have happened and decides to ask her.

"Did your guy go younger?"

"Yeah. He did."

"They always want younger."

"It does tend to trend that way."

"When they're eighty, they want sixty, when they're sixty they want forty, hell when they're eighty they want forty and they get it too. God damned supply and demand. We should kill the guy who thought that one up."

Xx

Kate and Dolly are sitting at her kitchen table and she is pouring Kate a cup of tea.

"So you never saw it coming?" She asks as she sits and pours her own cup.

"No. I thought we were happy but he didn't want to move to the next step. So, he found someone new. And I dropped his ass." She said.

Just then Dolly's computer pinged with some kind of alert. Intrigued Kate stood and followed her to her desk.

"Oh, I've got a live one!" She says as she opens the website up.

"You've got to see this Kate. I love this internet thing. Part fantasy, part community and you can pay your bills… naked!"

"They don't stress that enough as a selling point."

"Oooh, it's Jeremy in San Diego. He thinks I'm sixteen." Kate just looks at her a little shocked.

"Oh Kate it's not my fault he inverted my age and I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth."

"Yes, that would be cruel."

"He comes to me for advice. He thinks I'm very mature. We're pinned."

"Oh."

"You're on this too right?"

"I am. Lonely Hearts dot com."

"What? Just one site? Kate, you need to put your cards on the table. I'm on at least ten. You get to try out different personalities. You can be anyone you want to be. Look here on this site I'm into sky diving, rodeos, and horses. And on this one, I like opera, antiques, and Greek poetry."

"But you don't like any of that do you?"

"No. But Kate this an ad it's like those cars that advertise 30 miles to the gallon, but who knows. You just want someone to take you out for a test ride."

"I'm just not that comfortable advertising myself that way."

"Kate, when you reach my age and your expiration date is looming it pays to advertise. This baby never sleeps. It's working for me 24/7. Dolly says as she runs her hand over the top of the monitor.

They retreat back to the table and finish their tea.


	9. Chapter 9

Kate threw the ball for her friend's dog and she took off after it. She loved this dog park because it was where she first met Rick. What she hadn't realized was that when she threw the ball there was a person whom she did not need to see right now.

"Tom Demming. What are you doing in a place like this? This is a place for people who have dogs."

"Well it just so happens that's what Austin and I are here for. We came to the rescue a pet fair going on right over there. So, I guess when he picks one out, we'll have a dog too."

Just then Austin came running up to Tom and said that he had picked out a puppy.

"Dad, I found a puppy! He's so small and furry!"

"That's great buddy."

Kate took the ball from Tom and knelt down to pet mother Theresa and was pulled into a very rambunctious hug by Austin.

"Kate we're getting a DOG!"

"I know Austin I'm so happy for you."

"Why don't you come and see him."

"Go on Austin. We'll catch up."

Austin runs back to the fenced-in area where all the puppies are frolicking around.

"I thought a dog would be good for him."

"Yeah, it could be."

"I was going to ask you if he might have been too young to get a dog."

"No, I think he's at the right age."

"A boy always needs a dog."

"Absolutely, who else is going to eat his vegetables for him?"

"You know Kate every time Austin sees you he is so happy."

Oh no. she didn't like where this conversation could possibly go.

"Is that so? Well, I'm glad that he can relate to me. But Tom I am not going to be a replacement mom for him. So, I know what you're trying to do."

"What am I doing Kate? He is so happy when he sees you and for that matter so am I."

"Uh uh. I'm not going to be that woman that…."

"Dad I found him! I found my puppy!" Austin shouts in their direction stopping the talk cold.

Kate and Tom turn and look at the dog that is towering over Austin. It looks like a Great Dane. That dog is not small and furry, it's an eating machine! There's no way that he'll even be able to feed a dog of that size.

"Dad come over here I think he wants to kiss you."

"Tom I really think that you are going to need a bigger house," Kate says with a laugh as she turns and leaves the park.

Xx

Kate is sorting through paperwork of a personal nature when she hears the phone ring. She first checks the caller ID and sees that it's Rick calling. She practically drops the papers in her hand and almost falls over as she makes a mad rush to get to the phone before he can hang up.

"Hello."

"So I know our dates aren't beginning and ending well but there's something in the middle I find intriguing."

"Well, they're not dull I'll give you that."

"So ah that's a good thing right? So, what do you say, do you want to get together again?"

"You really want to give it one more try with me. Why?" She asks with butterflies finding their way loose in her chest.

"Are you kidding me? You're this whole new style, this whole new system. Vivid grammar, eroticism a completely new constellation of attributes, you're my Halley's Comet."

"Do you write this stuff down?"

"Actually no. That stuff came out of my head but sometimes I do use notes. You do know that I'm a writer, right?"

Through the telephone, Rick could hear her doorbell ring.

"Hold on, someone's at the door."

Kate walks from her kitchen to her front door and it is a little shocked to see Dolly standing in front of her when she opens the door.

"Dolly, what a surprise!"

"Kate I'm in trouble and I need some help."

Kate who still had the phone clutched in her hand against her chest can hear Rick asking if everything is okay. Before she can stop her, Dolly takes the phone from her hand and says,

"She can't talk now it's an emergency!" And then Dolly hangs up the phone. She gives Kate a sorrowful look explains her current predicament.

Rick finishes the pretzel he was eating with a crunch listening to dial tone. What is going over there he wonders?

"It's Jeremy. From San Diego. He's here."

"Wait what? He's here in New York?"

Kate who could have sworn Dolly was alone in the hallway but now realizes that Jeremy is still standing out in the hall. Being a good hostess that she is she invites Jeremy in to sit down at the table and have something to eat.

"I don't see the big deal here," Jeremy says.

"Well, for one thing, Jeremy you're seventeen and Dolly is…"

"Forty-one!" Dolly shouts out cutting Kate off.

"Yeah, those are just numbers. Look at Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. She's gotta be what…one hundred?"

"Oh come on Jeremy, be nice. She's probably the same age as me."

Kate turns from the counter and gives Dolly a look. Because she knows that Dolly is closer to sixty, not forty-one.

"Look some people go their whole lives looking for their soul mates. I found mine when I was fifteen. Sue me."

"Fifteen? You said you were seventeen!"

"Oops."

"Dude it is so not cool to lie to me."

"I'm sorry. I just didn't think that you'd take me seriously if you thought I was a kid."

"Of course I take you seriously. You're a wonderful boy, honey. And we could always be friends. But just friends, you do know that right?"

"Okay."

"And there is something else. I'm not really forty-one."

"Kate cracks a small smile knowing that Dolly will come clean and tell Jeremy her real age.

"I'm forty-three."

Kate's smile disappears and Dolly looks over to her hoping that she won't say anything to give her away. Once Jeremy's hunger is taken care of, Dolly knows he needs to go back home. Kate calls a cab to her place and twenty minutes later Dolly is saying goodbye to Jeremy. He'll fly back to San Diego and be home by early tomorrow morning.

Dolly asks Kate for a ride back home and she agrees. On the ride back to Dolly's place she tells Kate that she could not go over fifty when she told Jeremy her age.

Kate pulls up to Dolly's home and they get out of the car and she says,

"Thank you, Kate. I really appreciate all of your help."

"Anytime."

Kate turns and looks towards the row of homes across the street and she sees Tom's house. The lights are on at his place and she makes up her mind. She starts across the street pulling her hair from her ponytail making herself more appealing. She walks up to the front steps and knocks before she loses her nerve. The door opens and reveals Tom dressed very casually.

"Kate. Hi!"

"I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by."

It's then when Kate hears a familiar voice.

"Detective Beckett? Is that you?" Jane Gonzalo calls out. Then she appears next to Tom.

"It is you!"

"Jane, I didn't know that you knew Tom…"

"No this is good…we can have a mini-briefing."

"No. I think I'll go home now and go to bed. And maybe stay there forever."

"Kate has a friend who lives across the street," Tom adds.

"Isn't that a coincidence!" Jane says.

"Kate, we just opened a bottle of wine, would you like a glass?" Tom asks.

"Oh no that's alright. I think I'd rather die. But thank you just the same."

Kate turns and runs from his front porch. When she makes it back to her car, she wonders what she was thinking. She didn't realize it but her wallet fell from her purse as she was leaving Tom's house. She pulls into her complex and sees Rick and Mike sitting on the front stoop of her building. Kate parks her car and heads to the stoop.

"Oh hi," Kate says as she takes in the two men sitting on the front steps to her building.

"Hi, Kate. Jennifer kicked us out. Both of us." Mike says to her as he rubs the dog's neck.

"Oh Mike, I'm sorry. She'll come around."

Rick gets up from the steps and says,

"I told him it's the holidays. People become more stressed now."

"I love this guy, really I do," Mike admits.

"We've been here a while and we talked a lot. He also drank, a lot."

Mike stands up a little too fast and almost falls over in the process. Rick and Kate both keep him from falling over. They decide to head inside her place.

Xx

"Kate I hope it's okay that I stopped by."

"Oh yes of course it is. I'm so glad that you did."

"Good. Because you know we were talking on the phone and everything was going really well and then some crazy woman said emergency and hung up and I don't know what was going on. I tried to call back but there was no answer here. I got a little worried."

"That's so very sweet of you Rick. Really it is."

"So it was just a false alarm?"

"Yeah, you could say that. My father's friend got into a little bit of trouble and I had to help her out so I went over to her place for a little while. And after that, I just drove around for a while." There was no way Kate would tell Rick that she made a fool of herself by going over to Tom's house. So, she kept that little tidbit out of her explanation from him.

"Well, the reason I stopped by was to invite you out on a boat on the lake."

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't. Boats are still on the water, right?"

"Yes, they are. They are aquatic."

"Well, I don't even know how to row."

"I'll teach you. I'd love to teach you how to row."

"Okay. How?"

"I love a challenge! The first lesson starts now."

Rick takes Kate's right hand and positions himself behind her. He reaches in for the other hand and forms a close hug around her. He then starts to mimic a rowing motion as he slowly moves backward with her in his arms.

"Kate relax. Rowing is all about rhythm and balance." Rick says as he completes another motion of rowing.

"Rhythm and balance… Hey, watch those oars buddy." Kate says as his hand brushes ever so gently against her breast.

"Rhythm and timing that's all you need to remember."

"Rhythm and timing. Okay got it."

"See it's not that bad right?"

"I like rowing," Kate says as she starts to smile.

Rick sweeps Kate's hair from the side of her neck and kisses her pulse point and all she can do is close her eyes and let him. Knowing that there is the potential for more Kate turns in his arms and her lips meet his in a loving kiss. It's going great until they hear a loud crash inside her living room. They break apart and Rick says,

"That had to hurt." And they both rush into the living room to see what happened.

"Mike? What happened? Where do you think you're going?" Kate asks.

"Hey Kate, Rick, don't stop what you were doing. I was just on my way out. Jennifer called and told me that I could come home. But the dog has to stay here." He recites with a slurring voice.

"I think you should stay here too. You should not be driving a car in your condition."

"I'll drive him home." Rick volunteers.

Kate 's face drops when Rick says this.

"Oh, I thought that we were going to, you know, row the boat?"

"Oh and we will. Just stay exactly where you are and I will be back in about fifteen to twenty seconds depending on traffic. Just hold that thought." Rick tells her as he throws Mike's arm over his shoulder as they make their way to the front door.

Xx

Kate lights a third scented candle and has a talk with Mike's dog.

"You do know that once Rick gets back you'll need to excuse yourself, Mother Theresa."

The dog makes a whining sound at the new information. Then the dog barks when the doorbell rings and Kate knows that Rick is back from driving Mike home. She strides quickly to let him in. But as she opens the door her heart practically stops because it's not Rick who is standing at her front door.

"Tom? What are you doing here?"


	10. Chapter 10

Tom stood there just taking her in, she was beautiful. When she asked why he was there for it snapped him out of his stupor.

"Hi, Kate. I was just taking something to my car and I found your wallet on my front steps. You must have dropped it when you left earlier." He tells her as he walks into her apartment.

"I'm really sorry. I'm sure that seemed pretty awkward earlier."

"No, not really. You don't need to explain…"

There's nothing going on between me and Jane. She was just a little late getting Austin back home from the museum and then I made her stay for dinner."

"Thank you for bringing this back for me." She says as she takes back her wallet.

Kate watches as he moves slowly towards her and she knew what he was going to do before he did it. He leans in towards her and for some strange reason, she can't move out of the way to avoid him. It's like she's frozen to the spot she stands in. The next sensation she feels is his lips upon hers. For most men she has kissed in her lifetime they were okay, but kissing him feels like she's kissing a dead fish. She can't explain why it feels so wrong but he just isn't a good kisser. She stands there taking his kiss and is startled when she hears someone clearing their throat behind her. She quickly breaks away from Tom and turns her head to the right and sees Rick with her front door wide open and standing in her doorway with Mike slung over his shoulder.

"You're back!" Kate says hoping to downplay the scene Rick just witnessed. But by the way, he's looking at her she knows it won't work.

"Yeah, he passed out before he could tell me where he lived," Rick tells her as he looks at Tom accusingly but then turns his head when he hears Mike mumble something from behind his back.

"2831 Mablezz cou…."

"That's about all he could remember," Rick says.

Tom extended his hand and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Tom."

"My manners have completely left me I'm so sorry," Kate says.

"Tom Demming this is my friend Mike." As Kate points to Mike's backside hanging over Rick's shoulder. "And this is Rick Castle."

"We were just um, what were we?" Kate asks looking at Tom willing him to answer for her.

"Kate left some stuff at my place and I thought it would be better if I got it back right away."

If a situation between three people could be any more awkward this was it. Kate just stares at Rick and Tom and wishes the ground would just swallow her up and take her away.

"Well, I won't keep you guys. I'll catch you tomorrow Kate. Nice meeting you Rick."

"Pleasure," Rick replies back. And with that, Tom leans in and kisses her cheek goodbye. He turns and is out the door in less than two seconds. Rick looks at Kate and decides that it is time for him to leave.

"Hey, I'm going to get going. I'm going to put him down here on the steps right here. Here we go, buddy."

"No, Rick you don't have to leave. Stay, sit."

Kate watches as mother Theresa sits down and shakes her head at the dog.

"No, I really should be going." Then he turns and walks out her front door. It takes her no time to make up her mind and chase after him. By the time she catches up to him, he's stabbing the elevator button to go down.

"Rick please let me explain!"

"You don't have to."

"But I want to."

"Kate I don't have a claim on you. We've been out what, three or four times I realize that."

"You won't let me explain?"

"Let me do it for you. You were lying to me to spare my feelings. I get it."

The elevator doors open and Rick steps on never turning around to see the look on her face.

Xx

Kate struggles a bit with her unconscious friend but she gets Mike over to the couch and sets a pillow behind his head and covers him with a blanket. He'll sleep off his drunk and wake up with one hell of a hangover tomorrow. Kate makes herself a cup of coffee and she sits down in front of the television with Mother Theresa. She just so happens to come across a show that involves her friends breed of dog. Mother Theresa sits up and watches the television and can see a dog just like herself poised at the door of a helicopter ready to jump into the water to save a drowning victim.

"You could do that. You could."

Xx

The next day at the 12th seemed to drag for her. Luckily Tom was away from the precinct all day due to a rash of push in robberies in So-Ho. She couldn't have been happier. She had been stuck with paperwork since she and the boys had closed their last case. Ryan had requested three days off to celebrate his and Jenny's wedding anniversary. She envied him. He was celebrating his second anniversary and it seemed like nothing could stop him from being happier. She wishes she had that but first she needs to find a guy. She thought she had the guy but again she screwed that up too. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Tori trying to make a quick exit. She can't because the dress she's wearing is brighter than anything she has ever seen on anyone before.

"Tori?" Kate calls out.

"Kate?"

"Oh no you don't. What's with the dress?"

"Erin's parents are back in town. They'll be spending the holidays with us. Oh, joy." Tori says a little disgusted.

"You know I can really learn to hate her parents."

"You and me both. But they'll be gone soon enough."

"So what are you doing for the holidays?" Tori asks.

"Oh you know, dinner at Dad's house, relatives coming out of the woodwork the usual. But just let me know if you need to be rescued. I have you on speed dial just in case."

Tori gives Kate a little smile as she turns and walks towards the elevator.

Noticing the time, she realizes that she has been at her desk all day doing paperwork. And now she's had enough so she gets up from her desk and gathers up her coat, shuts down her computer, and secures her desk. She turns the corner heading through the elevator and she sees Jane. Wanting to make a quick exit she tries to bypass her and shoot straight for the elevator. But before she can Jane confronts her.

"Detective Beckett a word if you can."

"Yes, Detective what is it?"

"Are we okay? What I mean is, is our unit cohesion still in a good place?"

"Yes, detective why wouldn't it be?"

"I had no idea that you and Tom were…"

"Let me stop you right there Jane. We're nothing Tom and I."

"Neither are we me and him I mean." Jane was quick to point out.

"He is one hot dad though. I don't blame you for being interested."

"Interested may be pushing it just a little bit."

"Well, I'm not in that picture I just wanted you to know that."

"Good to know." Kate leaves her standing there and heads directly for the elevator but in the back of her mind, she thinks otherwise.

Xx

Kate gets the platter of stuffing, brings it out to the dining room and places it on the table. It's then when her father takes the opportunity to introduce his lady friends.

"Before we tackle this succulent looking bird we have some honored guests here with us today. Marion Swift, Dorothy Murphy, and Dolly McCann."

"Hello, Dolly!" Dolly says and the table laughs.

Mike who is sitting right next to Kate says,

"All three at the same table? The man has balls of steel!"

"We're very proud," Kate says sadly.

Xx

Rick had been moping around his loft ever since he saw Kate kissing that guy. Every time Chuck decided to come over, he wondered what mood Rick would be in when he arrived. He had to deal with his many mood swings couldn't take it anymore. So, he decided that he would take him out get him so drunk that he couldn't remember his own name. And what better way to do that than at a strip club? So now he stands in front of his friend's door waiting to knock not knowing if he's home or not.

Xx

He needs to get out of this funk. He just can't seem to get her out of his mind. He knows they have a connection but when he saw her kissing that guy Tom, it just changed his mind entirely. The knock on the door draws him out of his thoughts.

"What are you doing here Chuck?" Rick says as he opens the door.

"I'm here to take you away for an afternoon of boobs and booze. From the looks of it, it looks like you need it." Chuck just looked at the inside of the loft from where he stood in the doorway, and it looks like a tornado hit it. Not anything like Rick would keep his home.

"Let me guess we're going to the strip club on Canal Street?"

"Is there any other place better?"

"Nope, I guess not. Let me grab my jacket and we're out of here."

Xx

_Joan Jett is singing in the background of the strip club "Do you want to touch, yeah, do you wanna touch do you wanna touch, yeah, do you wanna touch me there, yeah yeah yeah" and a stripper is sliding down a stripper pole as Rick and Chuck watch her…_

"This was a great idea, Chuck, this is a great place to spend Thanksgiving."

"See what did I tell you! Have another drink and you'll see her in your dreams and if you're lucky in your bed." Chuck says as he points to the dark-haired stripper hanging from the pole.

"Chuck, that's not what I want. I don't want fake tits and a come please me attitude. Did I tell you that she was a cop?

"Rick you need to forget her. She's history."

"Chuck she could have been the one. She was good, interesting, I had a glimpse."

"Rick, you really need to stop obsessing about this girl. Move on. I bet she has by now."

"I will." Rick sighs heavily.

"This time you got written out of act one. Women are devious, self-serving shallow… Not you dear." Chuck says as he notices the stripper drop her top and he is mesmerized by her boobs. Rick can only look at his friend and wonder why he talked him into coming here with him.

Xx

Kate has a stack of dishes in her hand and is attempting to put them away when she is stopped halfway to the cupboard by her aunt Theresa.

"Katie my dear, if Casey Donavan is no good…"

"If? What do you mean if? His mother and my mother were sisters!"

"Roland Dettmer?" Kate reads from the business card her aunt had just given her.

"He's my optometrist. And he's expecting your call. How many fingers am I holding up?" Her aunt asks and she is once again tossed into the dating pool. Just as Kate puts away the dishes her friend Jack comes into the kitchen.

"Oh Kate great news, I didn't want to get your hopes up but two guys in my office just got divorced."

"So much to be thankful for."

"Start with Ritchie first and if that doesn't work go with Jerry."

"Ritchie first… got it."

"Yeah definitely go with Ritchie," Jack tells her as he walks back out into the dining room.

When did she become everyone's dating project?


	11. Chapter 11

Kate takes a guess that her father is upstairs in his study. Since she took off her shoes she has the element of surprise over him and climbs the stairs with stealth.

"Hello, Katie."

"Dad, I was not even to the top of the stairs yet! How did you know it was me?" She says as she crosses her arms in front of her chest and sits next to him.

"Ah, one raised eyebrow, never a good sign. This can't be good."

"How do you remember all their names dad? Let alone birthdays and religious affiliations."

"I have them all on a disc…"|

"Dad, I really don't want to know!" Kate says cutting him off.

Her father just sits there and smiles knowing that he got her.

"Dad?"

"Katie come on. I don't have the time to do stuff like that. My brain still works as good as it did what I was younger. Give me a little credit."

"You're in different leagues dad you and Dolly. I really think that she's starting to fall for you."

"Well, I'm sorry if, if…"

"No, dad! You're not sorry. Because being a man today means that you don't have to say that you're sorry! I really resent how easy all this is for you. You have women coming and going cooking and cleaning. Hell, for all I know right now they are all out back tuning up your car for you. All that matters to you guys is that our asses are tight and our tummies are flat! Meanwhile, there are caring, compassionate women of a certain age sitting home alone reading Jane Austin and eating tubs of ice cream getting fat which will less likely get them a date…"

"Are you still talking about me? Because I can't tell anymore." Her dad cuts in stopping her rant.

Kate looks at him and knows that her father is right. She covers her mouth and says,

"No your right. I'm sorry dad. I can't either."

"It's alright."

"I just don't want to see Dolly get hurt."

"I don't either. But it's different for me Katie. I've had the love of my life and no one else could ever touch that. No one can come close to your mother Katie, no one. So, I am just out there passing my time, tap dancing if you want the truth, but maybe if I dance fast enough, I won't remember what I have lost, you see? Your mother was everything to me and I'll always cherish the times we had together."

Kate looks at her father with a renewed understanding. She can see the depth of his loneliness in his eyes and yes, she can see. She takes his hand in hers and just holds it.

Xx

Kate rolls her shopping cart down the aisle and picks up some flowers from the floral section in her supermarket. Lily's will make her feel a little better when she sees them on her table. Now she dreads what she needs to do next. Dinner for one. She pushes her carriage past the seafood section and stops at the deli/hot food counter.

"Be right there!" The deli man shouts from the back room.

"Ah, can I… oh look who's here, it's you."

"Yes, your worst nightmare. The single chicken breast lady."

"Hey, do you at least want to hear the specials?" He asks hopefully.

"Ah no, you don't," Kate says as she shoots her imaginary guns at him.

"Look I'm supposed to tell them to you. It's kinda my job."

"Just the one chicken breast please." She sternly requests.

"It's rough out there isn't it? Do you want to talk about it?"

"You know, you're not a bartender."

"Have you tried the internet? It really works! Do you know something? I met my wife online and she…" Kate drops her head to her chest wondering when people will stop trying to set up her dating life.

"Chicken now!" Kate tells him forcibly.

The deli guy scurries away and gets her chicken for one.

Xx

Since she has screwed up her chance with Rick by doing something so stupid, (she really didn't kiss Tom he kissed her) but Rick still saw it so she dives into about eight different internet dating sites. She creates ads for her personality and posts them hoping that she will get a decent date. She is surprised when the next day she checks her inbox and sees twenty-two notifications from the various sites she just joined. She sifted through the responses and settled on three guys.

Xx

This was agony. She was sitting there in a French restaurant listening to her date boast about his time in Italy. He was a know it all and she was going to have a little fun with him seeing that she might have had one too many Pinã Coladas.

"I've been to Italy a lot. So much so that when I go, I take this tour every time I'm there. It's called 'As the Romans Do' the tour guide was incredible!"

"I took that tour too! A big fat guy right?" Kate slurred. But her date just rambled on about Switzerland next.

"I was in Switzerland where I got caught in a snowstorm!"

"I almost died in a blizzard once!" Kate is trying to one-up this guy at every turn and he's not even listening to her as he rambles on about something else.

"I lived up in the Alps for a year!"

"They had to cut me out of the snow with scissors!" Ha, she finally got him! Now she waits.

"My aunt had a farm. In the morning we warmed up with coals from the fire. We learned how to make goat cheese. It was very Heidi."

Kate has had enough. She reaches over to his fake hair and twists it to be straight on his head. It had been bothering her all through their date.

The next two dates went almost the same way. She was back at square one again. She hated what she was going to do next but she picked up the phone and called Tom. He told her that he was going away that weekend to his friend's mountain home and would she like to come with him. She agreed.

Xx

"I bet you're surprised?" Kate asked.

"How so?"

"The fact that I called you."

"I am surprised, but happy too."

"You're looking at the new Kate. I decided that things aren't going the way I hoped they would and I am taking charge of my life."

"What if I'd like the old Kate better?"

"Well I guess you're out of luck this is a new and improved Kate."

After the words left her lips she knew that she never meant them. She wanted Rick and she can't understand why she would even consider going with Tom. Was it a way to get even with Rick because she was caught kissing Tom? She didn't know. But she needed to be with a man and this was the weekend that it would all come together for her. They drove up Interstate 87 until the reached Albany. From there they took the Northway to exit 25 and took route 8 to Brant Lake. The house is set right off route 8 and behind the house is an area to launch a boat.

They settled in for a cozy night together and she felt it was all wrong but she never let on to him that she was feeling this way. He started kissing her and gradually moved down the side of her throat hitting her pulse point. Before she knew it, he was moving her backward until the back of her legs hit the edge of the bed. She gave in to her need and made love to him many, many times during the course of the night.

The next morning she was up making breakfast for the both of them. He was still sleeping and when she was done, she placed everything on a tray and brought it back to the bedroom. Seeing that he was still asleep Kate hopped back in bed to observe her lover. She rubbed the side of his face and he started to stir. Deciding to be a little feisty Kate rubs her foot near his crotch and he takes her calf in his hand.

"Good morning."

"Morning. What time is it?"

Kate stretches to see the clock on the nightstand and tells him,

"It's a little after nine."

"Oh damn," Tom says as he throws off the blanket and heads for the bathroom.

Kate just looks at what he does as he passes the tray of food she made for them. Turning he asks,

"Hey, would it be alright if we take that to go and hit the road? I don't want t hit traffic."

"Oh, it's Sunday. There's no traffic."

"Yeah about that, I have a game today. A PAL game. NYPD vs FDNY."

Within a half-hour, they are showered and dressed heading out to the car. About halfway back Tom's stomach begins to grumble.

"Kate, are you going to eat that corn muffin?"

She practically throws it at him. She has a question that she has been wanting to ask him ever since they got in the car.

"You did sleep with Jane, didn't you?"

"Does it matter? Really."

"It's just that you told me nothing happened…"

"Well, I knew that we were going to be great together and I didn't want anything to get in the way of that. And we were." Tom says as he slides his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah," Kate says disgustedly in a whisper almost to herself.

Tom pulls up to Kate's building and parks the car. He rushes out of his side to get the door opened for Kate. But before he can get there she is already out and walking to her lobby. He tries to catch up to her. When he does, he plants a kiss on her lips.

"This was fun. I'll call you."

Kate can only turn away in shame as she pulls open the door to her building. Tom thought he could sense that something was off and stopped her with this question.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you! I'm mad at myself for ever trusting you…."

"Good. I was afraid that something had changed between…"

"…for not listening to that little voice in my head telling me that you are a shallow, self-centered bastard! Which is what you are you son of a bitch!"

To get her point across Kate slaps Tom across the face and says,

"I hate guys like you. Men who take advantage of a woman's heart only to stomp all over it. I really hate guys like you!"

Tom turns around and gets into his car and leaves. Still massaging the side f his face that she slapped.

Kate makes it to her apartment before she completely breaks down. Five minutes later she is standing in her shower under the scalding hot spray trying to wash the stench of him off her. As she leans against the wall she starts to cry…


	12. Chapter 12

Her shower worked out the tightness in most of her body and for that she was grateful. She went through her nightly routine and when she was finished, she took a hard look at her self in the vanity mirror. She is ashamed at what she sees staring back at her. She should have never slept with Tom. It was a mistake and it's one she wishes she could take back.

Xx

She operated on autopilot. Never committing to the new case they were working and she basically went through the motions until it was time to leave. When she got back to her apartment she was met with the sight of Maddie.

"Well, it's about time you got home. Where were you?"

"I was at work. You know the place I go to so I earn money and pay the bills I get?"

"Oh so that's what you do with your days," Maddie says and gave a little laugh.

"What's wrong Kate?"

Kate opened the door to her apartment and she and Madison walked in. Maddie knew that she was upset over something but she waited her out and in time she would tell her.

"Maddie, I slept with a man who was not my husband oh I'm sorry ex-husband."

"Stop right there. This is easily going to be a two-bottle story am I right?"

Kate could only nod.

"Well, then you know what we need to do. Let me get on the phone and I'll call Lanie and you can tell us everything."

The second Lanie heard her phone ringing she knew it was going to be something major. She answered and Madison explained the situation and she told her she would be there in 20 minutes.

"So did I miss anything?" Lanie asks Madison as she walks through the door.

"No, we were waiting for you."

"Okay Kate, pick up from where you left off," Madison said as she passed a glass of a red merlot to each of her friends.

"As I was saying I slept with a man who was not my ex-husband. So, I guess that makes me promiscuous."

"Hey, we should add that to your profile!" Maddie suggests.

Then all three women laugh at how insane it is.

"Oh god. I'm a complete and total love failure." Kate says. When they don't stop laughing at her situation she says,

"Stop laughing. It's not that funny!"

Madison has a thought but she is a little reserved in saying anything. But it seems that Lanie knows what she wants to bring up so she does.

"Hey what about that cute guy I met? Condom man?"

"Oh yes, that's how he likes to be known," Kate tells Lanie.

"Condom Man?" She repeats. "He sounds like a superhero."

"I can't. He hates me. And I don't blame him. I had my chance with him and I blew it."

Maddie needs something to lighten the mood so she suggests,

"Let's watch Beaches!"

All three women start laughing uncontrollably.

Xx

The television is showing the last scenes of Dr. Zhivago as Rick and Chuck watch.

"When they remake this thing, they need to add a happy ending and a lot of nudity," Chuck tells Rick.

"They won't remake it. Nobody wants to watch this kind of yearning nowadays. It's too painful. Modern man can't take it."

"Listen Rick there's more to life than watching Dr. Zhivago. You need to forget about the girl at the dog park and live again."

"Are you still up for some exercise tomorrow?" Rick asks Chuck.

"Sure why not. What did you have in mind?"

"Rowing down at the river. Say around nine am?

"Okay see you there," Chuck says as he gets up to leave.

"Oh and Chuck, call up some of those sexually deprived women I'm sure you know. I want to date every day until Christmas."

Xx

Kate's doorbell rings the next evening. She answers it in her pajamas because really who would be there to see her? She opens the door and is surprised to see Tori and invites her in.

"Where have you been all my life?" Kate asks kiddingly.

"Waiting for you!" Tori answers back.

She hands Kate some fresh flowers and says,

"You are absolutely perfect. You know that, don't you?" Tori teases.

"I do. But it's always nice to hear." Kate agrees.

Before she can say anything else Erin is walking in with balloons and a bottle of champagne moving Kate and Tori further into her place. She stops looks at her and says "Cute jammies. But it's a bit too early to be in them isn't it?"

She stops at her love seat and Erin sits down.

"Kate please sit down. Come on Tori." Erin stresses.

"Now, Tori and I are here to cheer you up. And we have many options."

Kate just sits there with a very wide smile on her face. She says, "I'm ready."

"Okay. First, we have line dancing at the Grove. Very Southwest and very mid-80's"

"Too gay," Tori adds.

Kate just throws a look over to Tori.

"Or we can use these gift certificates I got in the mail for a midnight manicure."

"PERFECT! Tori practically shouts out. "Can we do that?"

"That's not too gay?" Erin asks.

"Nooooo! Tori says.

"She keeps me on my toes doesn't she."

Kate can only look at her friends and see that they are really in love with each other.

Xx

The trio sits at the nail salon and they wonder when it became all so real.

"Kate, have you been dating lately?" Erin asks.

Kate just makes a face but gives her an answer.

"I had the perfect guy, but I went and fucked it up."

"How?" They both ask.

She tells them about how Tom came back to her place to return what she dropped at his place and then caught them kissing each other.

"Kate I'm so sorry. There's no way to fix this?" Tori asks.

"No, I'm afraid that ship has sailed."

"What color?" The manicurist asks Kate.

"White. Caucasian."

"No. What color nail?"

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"Your nail, not mine."

"Oh. The light pink I guess."

The manicurist takes Kates hand and looks at the love line on her palm.

"Not much love life huh? You're not getting any younger!"

Kate gets up and heads back to where Tori and Erin are.

"Can you believe her? Why do I always get the surly manicurists?" Kate asks them as she stands there waiting for an answer.

Tori tells her,

"I don't know but she does a great job…..."

Kate stops talking and looks out the picture window to the movie theater across the street. Who she sees throws her and Erin and Tori see that she is rattled.

"Kate, what is it?"

"Oh my god!" Kate inhales deeply struggling to calm herself. "Oh my god!" Then she turns and runs out of the salon. Tori and Erin can only watch as she runs out on to the sidewalk, hesitates a little and then crosses the street. Never mind that she has flip flops on with toe separators on her feet and mitts on her hands to protect her mani-pedi. Tori and Erin watch as she runs past the window and she's shouting a name they can't make out.

"RICK! RICK!" Kate yells as she tries to catch up to him.

Rick turns as he hears his name called and smiled at what he saw running towards him.

"Hey, Kate."

"Hi. This is so weird because I've been thinking about you so much."

Rick reaches for her hand to shake and gets a handful of mitt. Not knowing what to say he can only look at her waiting for her to say something. So to stall a little he leans in for a kiss to her cheek.

"I keep thinking about you."

"Kate, can I ask you why you are wearing potholders?"

"Potholders?"

She looks at her hands and forgot she was in the middle of a mani-pedi.

"Oh, they are for…"

Kate is interrupted by a bubbly big breasted blonde that runs up to Rick's side telling him that she's sorry she took so long in the store.

"Rick I'm ready now." The blonde looks Kate over and introduces herself.

"Hi. I'm Emily."

"Hi," Kate replies a little sadly.

"This is Kate."

Emily can only nod.

"We just saw Dr. Zhivago at the Grand."

"Yeah…" Emily starts to say. But Kate cuts her off.

"Oh, Dr. Zhivago! I love that movie."

"Yeah, it's Rick's favorite movie too." Emily leans in towards Kate as if she will share a secret with her.

"I didn't get it." She practically whispers.

"Well, I've seen it about twenty times!"

"Really?" Rick asks amazed at her admission.

"You have? Why? It's so depressing. Everyone is freezing their asses off…. They're communists, right? Emily asks Rick who can only nod his answer to her.

"I guess I keep hoping that one time Laura and Yuri will get back together again. In the springtime preferably where they can wear shorts." Kate says as she gives Rick a soft smile.

Rick hums his reply back to Kate.

"But they can't it's just a movie. Emily tells them.

Kate looks at her shaking her head because she really doesn't get it.

Rick not wanting to put down his date… but will anyway so he tells her,

"It's a book too!"

"That's cruel," Emily adds.

"Yeah," Rick says.

Kate realizes that the situation has now become awkward says,

"Well anyway…"

Emily remembers that she was just in the store about two minutes ago and pulls out Rick's American Express card and returns it to him.

"Thanks for that."

"Oh. Okay, I need to go and get… dewaxed!" Kate says as she holds up her mitts.

"Kate it was really nice seeing you again," Rick says to Kate not taking his eyes off her.

"It was nice to meet you, Emily," Kate responds.

"Likewise."

Kate turns and walks or rather shuffles back to the salon. Emily who's still a bit turned on by them talking about Dr. Zhivago asks Rick,

"Do you want to be Russians tonight in bed?"

"Let's go," Rick tells her as he takes her arm and leads her away in the opposite way Kate went. They cut down an alley and for a second Rick thinks about seeing her again so he lets Emily walk on and he eases around the brick wall to see her as she walks back to the salon. Knowing that he's seen enough he hurries to catch up to Emily. Kate who is a little giddy stops dead in her tracks hoping that if she turns back, she'll see him looking at her walking away. When she turns back, he's nowhere to be found so she heads back to Tori and Erin. She knows that they will want to know why she ran out of a nail salon with no warning.

Xx

Rick walks Emily back to her apartment door. He's tired and the meeting with Kate really threw him because he still has… something for her. So he tells her,

"Emily I think that I am going to say goodnight." As he stops at her stoop.

"Wait, you're not coming in?"

"No, I'm kinda tired. I think I'm going to go home."

"We're not going to do the Russian thing?" She asks hopefully.

"Nyet" Rick answers and he can tell that she has no idea what he just said.

"That means no in Russian."

"Oh. Was it something I did…"

"No, no no no no not at all. I'm just tired that's all." Rick reassures her by giving her a quick hug and assures her that it's okay that their night ends here. He turns and walks away never wanting to look back at her so he wiggles his fingers in a goodbye hoping she'll get the message.

Xx

Kate, Tori, and Erin sit at her center island in her place and talk about what had happened earlier.

"It seemed like it was going to be so perfect. He turns, he sees you, he takes you in his arms, fireworks explode…It's your happily ever after." Erin tells her.

"You're forgetting the part where he was with another woman." Kate points out souring the mood.

"I say you call him! Better yet go over to his place break in throw yourself at him and make a complete fool of yourself. It worked for me." Tori suggests as she looks over at Erin taking her hand into hers.

"It was very effective," Erin tells her.

"I can't. He's with someone else. I blew my chance. I have to face it, it will never work out between us."

"But you'd really like it to wouldn't you?" Erin asks her.

All she can do is nod and say "Mmm-hmm."

"I can't take this. This is breaking my heart." Tori says.

"Mine too. But hey, look on the bright side… your nails look fantastic!" Erin always finds a way to lift anyone's mood. Maybe that's why they make such a great couple. So Kate shows then her freshly painted fingernails and they can only fawn over her making her feel loved.


	13. Chapter 13

Rick can't resist. He found another showing of Dr. Zhivago on TMC and he sits in his recliner with Chuck's dog on his lap watching the movie. How he got roped into watching Chuck's dog he'll never know.

Rick says to the dog,

"Hey turn around this is your favorite part."

Rick is amazed when the dog lifts his head and turns towards the TV. The dog looks back to Rick and he says,

"She's wearing that hat you like," Rick says and the dog looks at the TV once again dropping his head in Rick's lap taking it all in.

Xx

Kate walks into her bedroom only to see Mother Theresa lying on her side of the bed.

"You know that this is my side of the bed. Come on move over."

The dog does and as she lays down, then Mother Theresa is already resting her head between Kate's hip and ribcage. Together they fall asleep.

Xx

Rick was up early after he binge-watched Dr. Zhivago twice he just loves that movie. He had the boat for him and Chuck to row out on the river on a trailer behind his car. He stopped for his morning brew at the store not far from the boat launch area. Then his phone rang.

"Rick, its Chuck. I have some bad news. A client needs me to go over her latest proposal from her soon to be ex-husband."

"So, I guess that you are not going to be exercising with me today are you."

"Yep that about covers it. Hey, I really wanted to go with you if that's any consolation."

"Yeah sure you did," Rick says in a kidding tone. "I'll call you and we'll get lunch one day next week."

"Sounds like a plan. Take care, Rick."

Rick ends his call, thanks the barista for his coffee, picks up a paper for the crossword later and pays for his purchases. As he steps out of the coffee shop and sees an older gentleman admiring the boat parked on the street. He steps up to him and starts to ask him a question,

"Do you like her?" He asks.

"Ah, she's a handsome boat. This reminds me of the longboats that they would run out of the Sweet Harvard Bantry Bay." The man says as he pats the top of the boat.

"Actually my friend made this boat. He based it on a Portuguese design, but historically your right. Do you build boats?" Rick asks.

"No truth be told I don't know the first thing about boats other that they sink."

Rick chuckled a little and looked to the man who was smiling back at him.

"But I do appreciate a fine work of art when I see it."

"Yes, I'm going to take it for a paddle to get rid of some of my frustration."

"Ah girl problems. I know all about that. But better to have loved and lost. Am I right?" The man said.

Rick looked at the guy and realized that he was nearing his seventies and he had girl problems?

"She was a unique constellation of attributes. She was my Haley's comet. But the universe was designed to break your heart, yes?" Rick asks.

"Ah, a philosopher as well. Yes, it's we who suffer the most."

"Yes, with the possible exception being the victims of violent crime."

The man sees this as a way to leave so he shifts his coffee and pastries to his left hand and he extends his hand to give a firm shake. When he does, he introduces himself.

"Jim. It's a pleasure. "

"Hi Jim, I'm Rick and the pleasure is all mine."

Jim who guesses that Rick is in his mid to late '30s decides to tell Rick about his daughter. They might hit it off.

"You know Rick I have a daughter about your age," Jim suggests as he looks at Rick but when he sees his reaction, he tells him,

"Never mind Rick." Then Jim turns and walks away.

Xx

Kate is in her kitchen cutting up some fresh fruit for later. She jumps a little when the door sounds with a knock. She puts the knife down wipes her hands and heads for the door. Checking the peephole she opens the door to see her dad with coffee and bear claws.

"Well isn't this a surprise!"

"Can't a father pay a visit to his daughter on a beautiful Sunday morning?"

Kate leans in to give him a kiss to the cheek and says to him,

"Maddie called you and told you that I was probably still in my pajamas. Didn't she?"

"Well actually, Maddie called Lanie, Lanie called Mike and then he called me."

"Any word from Aunt Theresa?" Kate asked as a joke.

"She told me to tell you that Casey Donavan was adopted…. If that helps."

"Well at this point he's looking pretty good."

Jim looks at his daughter and tells her what he feels could put her into a better frame of mind.

"He's out there Katie. Someone who will appreciate all you have to offer."

Kate gently caresses her dads face in thanks, then he tells her something new. Well not really.

"After all you're a unique constellation of attributes, you are Haley's comet, you're…

"Wait, what did you just say?"

"It's a nice turn of a phrase but it's not my own. I heard it from a young man this morning. He was going to take an old Irish boat out on the river to paddle away his frustrations. Poor lad, he had his heart broken by a woman he loved deeply." Kate knew that her dad met Rick now she needs to find him and tell him that she loves him too.

Xx

Kate pushed the door open and runs into Rick's house. She is met with silence. That is until she notices someone sitting in the Lazy Boy recliner next to the couch but ignores him. She looks up the staircase and then towards the kitchen finding nothing.

"Rick! Rick!" She shouts only to hear nothing in return.

"Hello there," Chuck says as he gets up off the chair.

"Hi." Kate answers.

"Can I help you?"

"Maybe. I'm looking for Rick. Rick Castle is he here?"

"No he isn't. But lucky for the both of us I am."

"Oh I don't have time for this."

Chuck looks down and the very large black dog with even larger teeth. And puts a piece of the puzzle together.

"You must be 'Must Love Dogs' aren't you. Listen you've already crushed the guy. He's been moping around here like a dead fish. He's practically given up writing. Haven't you done enough?"

"No, no no. That's all wrong. That's why I need to talk to him! Please tell me where he is." Kate demands.

"No, not gonna happen, honey."

If there was one thing Kate despised more than anything else it was being called honey. So, her anger flared, just a little.

"I ASKED YOU WHERE HE WAS!" She yelled.

"I'm not telling you."

It was then that Kate notices Mother Theresa bark at Chuck and lunge forward towards his manhood.

The next thing out of Chuck's mouth was,

"Do you know the bridge by the boat ramp…."

Xx

Rick missed Kate and as he paddled up the river he was alone with his thoughts wondering where they went wrong. What else was there to do? He remembers the night they went in search of condoms of all things. His mind likes where it goes when he thinks about her. They could have been great together.

Kate runs past the bridge where Chuck said that Rick would have launched his boat and she sees him rowing away from her on the water. She stops and screams his name twice and he never hears her. She wants to jump in after him but she does not want to get drenched. She runs to the end of the dock where there is an older man renting boats. Her problem is solved.

"Excuse me I'd like to rent a boat," Kate asks the man stowing the life preservers.

"I'm sorry Miss but there are no boats to rent. We rented them all out. I'm so sorry."

Kate turns towards the end of the dock shields her eyes from the sun with her hand and sees a team of women who are going out for a paddle there are enough of them for her to use to catch Rick. She talks to the cadence caller and she agrees to help her. Kate turns back to Mother Theresa and sees that she is a bit hesitant about getting on the boat. From her spot on the boat, she uses guilt to get her onto the boat with her.

"Come on girl you can do this! This is so important to me."

Mother Theresa stands at the end of the dock debating. She wants to go but she is very afraid of the water then she backs up a step or two. Kate notices this and changes her tact.

"I think that he could be the one!" Kate stresses and Mother Theresa barks her approval and leaps onto the boat. Within seconds they are in pursuit of Rick.

Xx

Rick rows back up the river and sees the women's rowing team from Columbia rowing down past him. They are rowing faster than usual. He knows that they train almost every day and he steers clear of their path. Rick can barely make out his name being called and he is surprised to see Kate on the Columbia boat. He stops rowing and is watching as who he thinks is Kate dive off their boat into the river. As he drifts, he then sees her friends dog do the same. When he sees this, he automatically guides the boat he's in towards her and her dog. As he gets closer to her he sticks out his hand out to pull her from the water.

"All right here we go… all the way up." Rick says as he pulls Kate into the boat. Placing a blanket around her shoulders he next sets his sights on her dog and he does the same with her.

"Here we go, watch your paws there," Rick says as Kate looks on.

"Cold, cold, very cold," Kate says to Rick as she shivers from being wet.

Rick sees her shaking and unzips his hoodie and wraps it over her shoulders when she drops the blanket from her body and then recovers herself with the blanket.

"Thank you."

"Kate was there something you wanted to say to me?"

"Yes, there is." She tells him.

"You could have just called me."

"Perhaps that would have been the wisest route to take, yes."

"Do you want to tell me?"

"I owe you my story. You asked me for honesty and it scared the hell out of me. So I held back and didn't want you to see the real me because I was afraid of getting hurt again. But listen I hear that the universe lets your heart expand and grow back even bigger after going through all that pain…"

Rick had been listening intently as Kate explained her story to him. When she mentions her universe comment he grins a small smile and lowers his head so she won't see his reaction.

"… well I believe that now and I was just wishing there was a way that I could have another chance to make this work."

All Rick can do is smile one of his best smiles and meets her eyes. He has already forgiven her and he knows that they will start something together with no one stopping them.

**Epilogue to follow.**


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N The first part of this chapter is rated M.**_

_**Four days later…**_

The entire last four days were all about Kate and Rick getting their thoughts out and being totally honest with each other. At times it was hurtful and both knew that when they were finished, they would have a clean slate to build upon. Kate explained her weakness when it came to Tom and how she wishes she could take back what she had done. She slept with Tom because she felt that she could never have Rick in a stable relationship. She told him this and he countered with the fact that they never became a couple and they only had a handful of dates. He told her that he understood what she did and why she did it but he would make sure that Tom never was an issue going forward.

Rick who had the smarts to have plenty of condoms on hand after they ironed out their problems and if sex was the next step in their relationship he would be ready. He was relieved to find out that Kate was disease free and on birth control and therefore condoms were not needed. They had the greatest pleasure of exploring each other's bodies. Rick found out that Kate is extremely ticklish on each side of her ribcage right before she reaches her orgasm and as she is coming down from said orgasm. Kate found out that Rick can please her like no other lover she had ever been with. His attention to detail is the quality she loves about him the most.

Knowing that they need to eat to keep up their strength for the next couple days of lovemaking to come they both decided to go to the supermarket and Rick promised that he'd make a dinner that she would love from start to finish. To say that it took them a while to get out of his house was an understatement. They both decided to shower but separately due to the fact that either could not keep their hands to themselves. Rick went into his large spacious bathroom (something that Kate wishes she had for the room alone) and start the water for the shower. Stepping in he started to clean himself up. Kate sat on the bed listening to the running water and a devilish idea came to her mind. She stood up getting out of the bed letting the sheet fall away from her body revealing her beautiful nude lithe form and traversed the short distance to the bathroom. Once inside she had moved towards the steam covered glass just able to make out Rick's muscular body. Her mind went to three hours ago and what exactly those muscles could do to her.

She pulls open the shower door and slips in quietly without him knowing since his back is to her. She moves towards him and sees his using a loofa on his biceps and stops her forward motion to simply admire him. God, he is the finest specimen of a man.

Rick knew that she was inside the shower with him and he waited for her to do whatever it was she was going to do. He made a show of washing his arms more intently knowing that she was most likely watching him. It was then when he felt her slide up against his back in a tight hug. The soap had coated his back and arms and her body just slips against his. He can tell that she is aroused again just by the points of her nipples pressing against his back. Being bold she slides her hands around his six-pack abdomen and travels south to take him into her hands. But before she can start to get him hard, he spins around so he is facing her. Without warning, she is thrust up against the opposite shower wall her legs automatically come around his waist and her ankles locked together securing herself to him.

He slips his hand between them and gently starts to caress her clitoris. The second he touches her inner folds she starts to gyrate against his groin seeking more friction. He is all ready to dive deep into her and does just that. Soon they have a rhythm together that pleases them both. She got the friction she needed and his manhood is encased by her core. His thrusts have her sliding up and down the wall but she wouldn't stop him for anything short of the house burning down because she is that close. Soon after she comes she is hanging limply around his body knowing that if she was standing, she'd be lying on the shower floor because her knees would have given out. After a couple of minutes regaining her strength, she lets her legs slide down his body to reach the floor. He knows that she's fragile and decides to wash her body for her.

"You are so beautiful Kate."

Kate can see the amount of love he has for her in his actions and she hopes that with what they were able to accomplish in the last four days they can go the distance. He attends to her body as if it was a temple he could worship in. She brushes her hands along his cheek cupping it and moving it down so she can kiss him. She hopes that she is showing him how much he means to her with her kiss.

Xx

Kate has the shopping cart and needs to finish getting what they need so they can get back to his place. She moves over to the deli counter and the man she usually deals with is nowhere to be seen.

"I'll be right with you." Kate hears from the back of the deli knowing exactly who it is.

"How can I…. Uh-oh. I got it. Single chicken breast no dating advice coming right up." The deli guy says the second he sees Kate standing there.

"Actually I'd like to have three whole fryers, please. And six pork chops, and um a lamb shank." Kate requests and the deli guy just stands there with his mouth hanging open.

Rick walks up with a forty-pound bag of dog food for Mother Theresa and adds,

"Do you have any dog bones? If you do could you throw them in with our order? By the way, what are your specials today?" Rick asks as he wraps his arm around Kate who is beaming.

The deli guy murmurs "Yes." Kate and Rick start to kiss each other soundly in front of him. When they get their wits about them, they turn and look at the deli guy and see that he has tears running down his cheeks.

Xx

Rick and Kate had been getting closer as time went by. Her father had asked them both to come to his fourth of July barbeque he was hosting. Rick generously agreed to cook for about forty to fifty people. He was with Kate at the grill and the first round of burgers were almost done. Kate seeing this held out a plate for him to pile all the burgers onto. The second she did their dog Molly watched her movements like a hawk. The second Kate put the plate down on the table Molly was scarfing down all of Rick's hard work. No amount of shooing would work to get her away from the food and Kate started to chase Molly from the burger plate. She succeeded to stop her from eating everything and they enjoyed the rest of the get-together. She's not sure but she thinks that Rick will soon ask her to marry him. She waits and hopes knowing that what they have is what fairy tales are made of….

**⁓Fin⁓**

**A/N #2: Not sure what is up for me next if anything at all. I have a couple of ideas bouncing around in my mind but it seems that the longer I write these two the harder the origional ideas become. I've been writing Castle since 2012 and with the readership falling away the way it is, maybe it's time to ride off into the sunset on a good note as my friend Skygirl55 did.**

**Thanks to all the readers who have reviewed, commented, and even threw ideas my way it has been a blast writing for you and I am so glad that I could give at least a couple of people an escape from reality.**

**Tom  
Pen to Paper Writer :)**


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